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TO T HE

READER

THis Excellent Difconrfe, breathing the Excellence of it's (now DeceafeH) Authors Spirit, craves thy ntoft ferious perufal ; and it will plentifully reward the hoars which fthall be fpent thereon. It greatly favours of deep thoughts, JlriSi objerva-tionSy and long and great experience of God, of Things, and Per-fons. Creatures looh^ beji when A 2 at

*v To the Reader.

at a diftance^ and in profpeSi ; but when nearer to us y they are then eafily looked through^ and feldom found to correfpond with their Appearances to 7/if, and with our expectations from them. But God it fitch a deep and boundlefsAbyfs ofPerfection^ as mo ft delightfully will endure and recompence all the fever ity and clofenefs of our eternal Thoughts about him. Perfected Spirits are all thought concerning God y and find their Hearts enflamed, and all their Towers invigorated thereby e-temally, to inexpreffible Satisfaction : And what varieties ofpleafant Thoughts the Innumerable hi fiances and Mirroars of Divine Excellencies in the Heavens

To the Reader. v vens will endlefly Minijier unto y I do not hjiow^ nor dare I guefs too boldly at them. Bat how thofe Souls can looh^for Heaven^ ortrulybe accountedgracious / who ne~ <ver retire folemnly to converge withGodJkjiow not.Surely^where God is not more than all to us^ he can be comfortably nothing : And our religious Exercifes and Fdefences muji needs be mean and dull, whilft God is triflingly and feldom thought on, and confer fed with by us. Can holy Walking be preferred and promoted without love ? Can love to GodandChrifi, and to the invifible St ate,be kindled, cherijhed, and continually advanced without Faith ? ] Can Faith be any thing but Fancy and Fre-A 3 fuwption^

fumption, without thought and Knowledge ? And can the Life of Faith, Hope, Love, and holy Walking-, he fxt and vigorous, and proficient, without ourferious and frequent reprefentations of Cod unto our felves by folemn Contemplations of his excellent TerfeStionSyfree Communications, plentiful Provifons, and glorious Defigns, whereto he hath entitled f^ y feeing our Religion andDevo-tions in all the parts thereof can have no Life and Soul hut this ? What is it to converfe with Cod in Solitude, but to- aSiuate our thoughts of what we tyiow concerning God in Chrifl, and to accomodate them to all the need'

fnl

To the Reader. th ful and nfefal Purpofes cfKeh-gion and Devotion', and to make Thoughts folemnly Serviceable to tl>e great Ends thereof ,viz. our due and feafonable Reprefenta-tions of our God to ws, and of our {elves to him in Cbriji, pur-fnant to the flated and occa-fional Ends and Interefls of Chrijiian Godlinefs, as the matter may require* Converfwg thus with Godj wants not its great Advantages in life and death. And if thefe Thoughts contained in this Boo^ (which did fo greatly reconcile the Author to the Thoughts of his then approachvig,but now experienced Death,) were more in Exercife at

funeral

Funeral Solemnities,and thisBooh^ then put into the bands of Mourners, it would be no matter of Repentance that I know of. tbefe are the ha fly 1 bought s and Sentiments of thine in and for t the Lord, whiljl

Matthew Sylvefter.

London, Sept. 12. 1692.

T HE

The Contents.

Queft. Shall I have any more Comfort irX prefent friends than in others ? p. 76! Doft. 3. When all for Jake us, and leave hs (as to them) alone, we are far from being /imply alone, becaufe Cod is with us.

p. 80.

The advantages of having God with us. p. 81

Queft. How he is with us. p. ,82

Ule. I, Imitate Chrift : Live upon God a-

lone j though men for fake yon \ yet tkruft

not your felves into Solitude uncalled.

P- 9i In what cafes Solitude is lawful and good.

P 9* Reafons againfl unnecejfary Solitude, p. 94* Tht Comfort of Converfe with God in mceffary Solitude. The Benefits of Solitude. The Reafons from God. Improved largely in fame Meditations. p. IC2. H1 Directions for Converfmg with God in So-litude. p. 149

Concluded in further Meditation, p. 16O A Caution. p. 166

CONVERSING

WITH

God, &c.

Joh. XVL 32.

Behold, the hour cometh^yea is ccme y that ye {ball be fcattered every Man to his own, and {hall leave me alone : And yet I am not alone, becaufe the Father is with me.

IAra this day to handle the inftance of [Chrifrs b{irg forfaken by his Friends and Follomrsf] He thought meet to foretell them, hovr they (hould raanifeft their infirmity and B untrufli-

untruftinefs in this temporary forfaking of him, that *£ he might fullyer convince them, that he knew what was in Man, and that he knlew future contingen* cics (or things to come, which icem inda dependent. On the Will of Man) and that he voluntarily fubmitted to his deferted State, and expected no fupport from Creatures, but that Man fhould ihen do leaft for Chrifo when Chrift w T as doing, mo ft for Man; that Man by an unthankful for faking Chrift ^ fhould then jp.af iTcrt his forfaken dcplorate flatc,whcn Chrift was to make Atonement for his Reconciliation toGod,and was preparing the moft coftly Remedy for his Recovery. He foretold them of the Fruit which their Infirmity would produce, to humble them that were apt to think too highly oJF themfelves for the late free ConfefTion they had made of Chrift", when . they had newly 6M £AW vet an fare that thou knoftcftill }***%* : h this tye are fare, that thou comeft forth from Goi, ver. 30.

<He antwereth them [Do ye vow believe? Behold, the hour Cometh, &i ' that Chrift would not have his S^ knowhfegraces in them, but he would

alfo

with God in Jolitude. $

alfo have tnem know the Corruption that is latent^nd the infirmity confident with their grace. We arc very apt to judge of all that is in hf, and of all that we Jh*!l do hereafter, by what we feel At the yrefent upon our hearts. As when f/cfeel the ftirring offome Corruptions we are apt to think that there is nothing elfe, and hardly perceive the contrary grace, and are apt to think it will never be better with us: So when we feel the'Exercife of Faith, Defirc or Iw, we are apt to overlook the contrary Corruptions, and to think that we (hall never feel them more. But Chrift would keep us both humble and vigilant, by acquainting us with the mutability and unconftancy of our minds. When it goes well \\i: : forget that the

time is cominj it may go worfe.

As Chrift laid to his D^fiijlcs, here in the cafe of Htlitving^ we may fay to fclves in that ard ether cafes: Do w Believe? It is well: But the time may be coming in which we may be brought to lhake with the ftirrif: our remaining Unbelief, and fbrewdly tempted toqueftion the truth of Christianity it felf r and of the Ko'y Sfrip-B z tures,

tures, and of th? Life to come. T>o rve nowrejoyce in the ^crfuafions of the Love of God? The time may be coming when we may think our felvcs forfaken and undone, and think he will cfteera and ufe us as his Enemies. 'Dowenow fray with fervour^ and pour out our Souls enlargedly to God? It is well: But the time may be coming when wc fliall feem to be as dumb and praycr-lefs, and fay, we cannot pray, or clfe we find no audience and acceptance of our Prayers. Chrift knowcth that in us which we little know by our felves; and therefore may foreknow, that wc will commit fuch Sins, or fall into fuch Dangers, as we little fear.

What Chrift here prophefieth to them did afterwards all come to pafs. As foon as ever Danger and Trouble did appear, they began to flag, and to (hew how ill they could adhere unto him or iuffcr with him, without his fpecial corroborating Grace. In the Garden when iie was fweating Blood in Prayer, they were flecping; Though the Spirit wa$ willing, the Flefli was weak: They could not mtch with kirn one hour, Mat, 26. 40| 41. When he was apprehend- \

ed, '

ed, they (hifted each Man for himfelf, Mat. 26. 56. [Then all the Difciples ferfioJ^ him and fled. And as this is faid to be that the Scriptures might be fulfilled, Mat. 26. 54, 56. fo it might be iaiJ to te, That this prediction of Cbrifi himfelf might be fulfilled. Not that Scripture Prophefies did cauf$ the Sin by which rhcy were fulfilled, nor that God caufed the fin to fulfill his own Prediftions, but that God cannot be deceived who foretold in Scriptures long before, that thus it would come to pafs: When it is faid, That [thus it mufi be, that the Scripture may be fuU filledT\ the meaning is not, that [thus God mil make it be\ or {thus he caufeth Men todo~\ that he may fulfill the Scriptures: It is not Neceffitax confequentu vel caiifat a that is inferred from Predictions; but only Necejfuas confequen* tia\ a Logical Neceffuy in or dine cog. nofcendi & dicendi\ not a Natural Ale* cefltiy in or dine effendi: not a Neceffuy of the Thing it felf as caufed by the Prediction or Decree ; but a Neceffuy of the Truth of this Conclufion in argu* ing \ [fitch a thing will be, becaufe God bath decreedy foreknown or foretold it : ~\ B 3 or

or [whatever God for. mt(l ?icf-

ceffarily come to pafs, that if, will certainly come to pafs;. £/tf rWj 6W fy**A foretold ; therefore this will come to Jbf/f.!]' H^re arc three obfervable points in the Text, that at* worthy our di Confederation, though for brevity I fluil handle them together.

1. That Chrift was forfaken by his own Difciples, and left alone.

2. When the Difciples left Chrift, they were fcattered cve^y one to his own. They returned to their old Habitations, and old Acquaintance, and old Employment^ as if their hopes and hearts had almoftM^, and they had loft all th-ir labour in following Chrift fo long; Yet the root of Faith and Love that ft ill remained- caufed them to enquire further of the end, and to cone together in fecret to confer about thefe Mutters.

y, Whin Chift was ' forf ike n .'■/■ lis Pifrivles, and left alone, yet was he not ' for ft'en of b>s Father, nor left fo as to he [evirated from htm cr his lovt.

We are no v to conf cr!y as a part of C itiotq

but alfo as a Point in Vvhich we r,utjl ixpeft to be conformed to him. It may

poffibly

with God in folitude. ■ 7

fy ieem ftrangc to u^, that Chrift would fuffer all his DifoifUs to ft him in his Extremity; and I coubt it wi'I ieem ftrange to i.<s, when in our extremity, and our differing for thrift (,.nJ perhaps for the:?)) we (hall find our foriaken by thofe that we molt I, and had the greatcfl: familiarity with. But there are many Reafons of this permiflive Providence open to our obfervation.

1. No wonder, if when Chrift was fuffering/<?r Sin, he would even then permit the Power and odioufnefsof fm to break forth, that it might be known he fuffered not in v*in. No wonder, if he permitted his Followers to defert him, and to (hew the latent Unbelief, and Selfifhnels, and unthankfulnefs that remained in them, that io the 7 might know, that the death of Chriti was as neceflarv for them as for others 5 the univcrfality of the Difeafe might (hew the need that the Remedy fhould be VniwrfaL And it i> none of Chrifts intent to maftd his S teem

better than they are, to t s or

others, orto honour hi:\ of their Faults, but to ie his par-

B ^ doning

doning and healing grace,by the means or occafion of the fins which he pardoneth and healeth.

2. Hereby he will bring his Followers to the fuller knowledge of therafclvcs, and (hew them that which all their days (hould keep them humble, and watchful, and favc them from prelum p. tion and trufting in thcmfelves: When we have made any full Confeffion of Chrift, or done him any confiderable lervice, we are apt to lay with the Difciples, Mat. 19. 27. [Behold, we have forfaken ally and followed thee ; What {hall we have? ] As if they had rather been Givers to Chrift, than Receivers from him -, and had highly merited at his hands: But when Peter forfwear-cth him, and the reft fhift for them-felves, and when they come to them-fclves after fuch cowardly and ungrateful Dealings, then they will better underftand their Wcaknefs, and know on whom they muft depend.

3. Hereby alfo they thai! better underftand what they would have been, if God hu3 left them to themfdves, that fo th;v may be thankful for grace received, and may not boaft themfelves a-

gainft

with God in folitude\ <$

gainft the mifcrable world, as if they had made thcrafclvcs to differ, and had not received all that grace by which they excel the common fort: when our falls have hurt us and fharaed us, we (hall know to whom we mull be beholden to fupport us«

4. Chrift would permit his Difciples thus far to forfake him, becaufe he would have no jtippcrt from man, in his fiffirings for man : This was part of his voluntary humiliation, to be deprived of all earthly comforts, and to bear affli&ion even from thofc few, that but lately were his faithful fervants : that men dealing like men, and fwncrS) while he was doing like God 7 and as a Saviour, no-man might challenge to himfelf the honour of contributing to the Redemption of the world, fo much as by encouraging the Redeemer.

5. Chrift did permit^the Faith and courage of his D;fciples thus far to fail, thit their witnef, to him might be-of the greater credit and authority, when his aftual RefurreQion and the Communication of the Spirit fhould compel them to •believe; when all their doubts were dif-fipatcd, they that had doubted thcmieF-ves, and yet were conftrained to believe, would be received as the mod impartial

B 5 vsicnefils

witneffcs by the doubting w>r!d.

6. Laftly, by the delertion and diffin pation of his Difciples, Chrift would teach us whenever we are called to follow him in fuftering, what to expert from the beft of men; Even to know that of themfclves they are untrufty, and may fail us; and therefore not to look for too much affiftance or encouragement frcm them. "J°mI lived in a time when Chri-ftians were more felf.denying and faft than they are now t And ftml was one that might better expc&to be faithfully accompanied in his iufferings for Chrift, than any of us : And yet he 2. Tim. 4. 1 6. \_At myfirfi anfiv flood with mej but all mm forfcoi^ me : ] and prayeth, that it be not laid to their charge .- Thus you have fcen ibme Rea-fonswhy Chri£ confented to "be left of all, and permitted his Difciples to deiert him in his fufferings.

Yet note here, that it is but a partial temporary forfakjng that Chrift permit-•teth ,• and not a total or final forfaking or Apoftafie. Though he will let them .fee that they ^xt yet men y yet will he not leave them to be but m other men : Nor will he quite caft them off, or fuffer them topcrifli. Nor

with (2od in fvlitude. n

Nor is it all alike thnt thus forfake hinr, Teter doth rtot do as Judas: 'The fincere may manifeft their infirmity •, but the Hy* pocrites wit! manifeft their Hypocrifie.

And accordingly \nout • fnfferings< our familiars that were falf-Weartei.fiK being worldlings and carnal at the heart may perhaps bstray us, and fit agtinft us, or forfake the can ft ofChrift, and follow the way of gain and honour: when our temp-ted fhrinking friends that yet may fome fincerity, tp.:w perhaps W; ftrange at us, and frem not to know ns y and may hide their heads, and fhew their fears; and perhaps alio begin to ftudy fome felf-deccivinga^urrent-s^ddiftintlions^and toftretch their conferences, rfnd venture on forae fm^ becauib thev a<$ afraid^to venture on affliction \ t;llCht-ift l fliall c^C; a gracious rebuking quickninginfpeft' <S'n them, and fhame them fof their fihful fl}ame, &fear them from their finfuf fears,

sflame their Love to him by the fro-

of his Love to them, and- dc

)ve that turned thent';V

the fime me 'failed Chrift and us, and began to fhrink, turnback and rc-rffiamc their:

and

and by patient fuffering overcome, snd

win the Crown as we have done before

them.

Vft. /^Hriftians, expert to be confor-V^J med to your Lord in this part of his Humiliation alfo: Are your friends yet faft and friendly to you ? For all that expert: that many of them at leaft fhould prove Iefs friendly: and promife not your felvcs an unchanged conftancy in them : Are they yet ufeful to you ? expert the time when they cannot help you: Are they your comforters and delight, and is their company much of your folace upon earth ? Be ready for the time when they may become your fharp-cft fcourges, and moft heart-peircing griefs, or at lead when you flull fay, We have no pleafure in them. Have any of them, or all, already failed you ? what wonder ? Are they not men, and finners? To whom were they ever fo conftant as not to fail them ? Rebuke your felves for your unwarrantable expectations from them: And learn hereafter to know what man is, and expert that friends fhould ufe you as followeth.

i. Some

r Some of them that you thx>rght [wan, (hall prove perhaps unfaithful «nd dif/cmblcrs, and upon faking* car,or roat-tets of felf-wtereft may feck your mine. Are you better than David that had an Achitrphel ? or than Taal that had a De-ma ? or than Chrift that had a Judas} Some will forfak;. Gcd: what wonder then if they forfake you ? Becaufe iniquity jhall abound, the love of many fiall wax cold, Mat. 24. 12 Where pride and vain glory, and fenfuality and worldlinefs are tnnortified at the heart, there is no truttinefs in iuch pcifcns : For their wealth, or honour, or flefhly intercft, they will part with God and their Salvation ; much more with their bed deserving friends. \A hy may not you as well as Job have occa'on to complain, [He hath put my Brethren far from me y and my Acquaint>r,ce are very eftranged m from me: My kirufoi\ have failed, ^nd my familiar Friends have forgotten me: 7 hey that dwell in my Honfe, and my Matd-ens co h fit me fr a Sir anger: I am *n A-lien in their fi-ht: I called my Servant, and he pave me no A»fvrer : J intreated him with my mouth : My breath is grange to my Wife •, the ugh J intreated for the

CLtldrens.

J4 Of Converging

Children* fake of »> °*dy: Tea,

yoitrg Children dfptfed me : I arofe^ And they fpt-ike pgainft me : All my inward friends abhorred me : and they whom / loved are turned againft me, Job 19. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 1 •', 19. Why may not you as well as Dxvid be put to fay, Ye* mine own familiar Friend in %'hom I trufl--ed, which did eat of my Bread, hath lift up his Heel again ft me\~] PfJ; 41. 9. Thoie that have been moft acquainted with the leerets of your Soul, and pri-

to your very thoughts, may be the perfons that (hail betray you, or grow ftrange to you. Thofe that you have moft obliged by benefits, may prove your greater Enemies. You may find fome of your Friends like Birds of prey, that h) er about you for what they can get, ~;en they have catcht it, fly at-

way. If you have given them all that you have, they will foriake yon, and perhaps reproach you, becaufe you have no more to give them. They are your Frier.-, s tool : hat^hey-vff expelit

n you, than for v?h*t thry have re;r:v received. If you he

to them, or fetd their covetous defirc5, or iupply their wants, you are

to

zo them but as cne that they had ne-known. Many a faithful Minift^f of Chrift hath ftudied, and preacht,and , and wept for their Peoples Sou!?, and after all have been taken fcr their Enemies, and utcd as luch; yea eyei\ btctufc they have done [0 much for the Like the Patient, that bein^ cured of a mortal ficknefr, feed hw Phyfician ac Law for making him fick wfih the Fhy-fick (But it is indeed t>. :d Pati-

ents only that are offended with us-.) Paul was accounted c.n Enem} to : Ga/atbianS) becsuie he t.l the

truth. Ungrateful truth rrrkerh faithfulleft Preachers meft onj . It

rnuft ieem no wonder to a Pie.cher o{ (1 c G fpel, when he hath cnueaked, pra 1 ncjrt for

Qiifcrabie Souls, and h.ici his her were under their feet in b( ConvcrHon and S- \ , • , | 1 !>:' them alter i;D, h s hit! r £i mcs. 1 *d i mg his Dtftru&i : a;d

m his Li c f ,my

fecrned too impatient under this afflict on, when he faid mc, O

yd, and he ay ken 10 i an

that contend with vm \ 5

wmftnfcd

comtenfed for good} Remember thai I flood before thee to fpeah^good fir them y and to xum away thy Wrath from them:-Tazrefore deliver up their Children to the famine^ and pour out their blood by the force of the S ord, &c. Jcr # 18, 19 20.

Thus may Ingratitude affli& you, and kindnefs be requited with unkindnels, and the greateft benefits be forgotten, and requited with the greateft wrongs: Your aid Familiars may be your Foes: ar(3 you may be put to lay as Jeremy [_For I heard the defaming of many : Fear en every fide : Report ^ fay they, and we will report it: All my Fr.miliars watched for my halting, faying, Per adventure he will be enticed, and we (hall prevail againft him, and we jhall take oar revenge on him^\ jer. 20. 10. Thus muft the Servants of Chrift be ufed, in conformity to their fuflfering Head.

Z. And fome that are fincere, and whofe hearts are with you, may yet be drawn by temptation to dtfown you: When ma!icc is flanic in;* you, time-rous friendTiip may perhaps be filent, and afrai i to juft fie you or tike your part: When a Peter in fuch imbecility and fear can difown and deny his fajfer-

ing

with God in folitude. lj

ing Lord, what wonder if faint hearted friends difown you, or me, that may give them too much occaficn or pretence? Why may net you ?.nd I be put to fay as David did, Pfal. 5 8. i i, 12. {My levers and my Frtends ft and aloof from my fore, and thy Kinfmen ft And afar iff: They that feek^after my Life lay Snares for me: And they that feek^ my hurt fpetk. mifchie-vohs things, and imagine deceits all the day long. ] They that in fearfulnefs wiil fail their Maker and Redeemer^ and hazard their Salvation^ may by a fmaller temptation be drawn to fail fuch friend* as rve.

3. Moreover, a hundred things may occafion fallings out) even amongft unfeigned Friends : Paffonr may caufe inconvenient a&'ons or expreflions, and thefe may ciufepafllonsin their Friends •, and thcle may grow fo high till Friends do feem to one ?ncther to be I>ke Enemies: Paul and 'Barnabas may grow fo hot, as to fallout to-a parture. How cafily can Satan let fire on the Tinder which he h »n the beft and gentlcft natures, permit him? No Friends fo near ard *ar, that padionafe weakneflcs may not Cither alienate or make a grief to

one another 5 how apt arc we to t.han kmdwfjes at ore another, and to bzfuf-fkious of our Friends, or offended wilh thern? And how apt" to give occafwn o\ fuch offence ? How apt are we to cen-fure one another, and to mifintcr >ret' the words and aftions of our F, \ And how apt to give occafion pf iuch miftakesand cutting cenfures ? Andthe-more kindnefs we have found in, or ex-petted from our Friends the more their real or fuppofed injuries will affeft us. We are aptto fay, \JJadit been a jhan-gef, I could have born it: But to be nfed thus by my bofom or familiar Friend, goes near my heart."} And indeed t^e unkind-nefs of Friends is no fmill atfliaion-, the fuffering going ufually as near the Heart, as the peribn that caufed it was near iu Especially when our own weaknefs cau-feth us to forget the frailty and infiimi-ties of Min, and with what allowances and expectations we muft choofe and ufe our F riei d ; and when we forget the Love that rcmaineth in the midft of pflfltans. ,

4. Alfo crofs Ir.terefts and unfuitablenefs may exceedingly interrupt the faftcft friendship, Fricndjhip is very much founded

pd infoitabicnefs, and maintained b And among mortals, there i$ no perfect i be founds but much un-fsftill remaincth. That which pleafeth one, is difpleafing to another: One InetH this pkee, and the other that: One hketh this hubir, and the other that: One is for mirth, aid the other for £*d-nefs: One for talk, and the other for fi-lence : 0;ie for a publick, and the other for a private life. And their perfonaflity or individuation having feif-Iove as infe-parable, will unavoidably caufe a contra* riety of interefts. The Cre. tare is in-fufficicnt for us: If one have it, perhaps the other mud want it: Like a covering too narrow for the bed. Sometimes our Reputations feem to (land crofs, fo that one mars U diminifhed by anothcrs: and then how apt is envy to create a grudge, and raiic unfriendly jcaloufics and dif-taftes. Sometimes the Commodity of ct.c is the dilcommodity of the other : And then [Mine and Thine} (which are contrary to the community of friend ft ip J divide and alienate, and make two ofe that iecmed one. The ir.ftances '>rab>im and Lt (upon the d ence among their Servants) and of /

and

and Ijhmaely and of Jacob and £faM y and of LabanznA ^4M&, and of Leah ani &*-cfe*/, and of Jofeph and his brethren, and of Saul and T>avid y and of Ziba Mtphi-bofietb and Davi<H y with many oth rs tell us this. It is rare to meet with a Jona* than, that will endearedly love that man to the death, who is appointed to deprive him of a Kingdom. If one can but lay Q/ fuffcr by him y or I am a loifer by hhm~\ it feemeth enough to excufe unfriendly thoughts and aftions. When you can gratifie the defircs of all the covetous, ambitious, felf-feeking perfonsin the World, or elfe cure their difeafes, and poflefs their minds with perfeft Charity, then aU the World will be your Friends.

5. Crofs opinions alfo arc like to alienate many of your Friends. This age hath over and over again given the world as full and fad demonftrations of the power of Crofs opinions, to alienate Friend?, and make divifions, as mod ages of the World have ever had. If your Friend be prond, it's wonderful how he will flight you, and withdraw his Love, if you be not of his mind, if he be zealous, he is ea-fily tempted, to think it a part of hh

duty

wit? viva in jvwiuac* 21 duty to God, toc;ifown you if you differ from him, as taking you for one that difowncth the truth of God, and there-fore one that God himfelf difowneth •, or at leaft to grow cold in his affeftion toward you, and tocecline from you, as he that thinks you do from God. As agreement in opinions doth ftrangely reconcile Affe&ions •, lb disagreement doth fecretly and ftrangely alienate them,; e-ven before you arc well aware, .your Friend hath loft poflcffion of your hearts, becaufc of an unavoidable diverfity of apprehenfions: When all your Friends have the fame intellectual complexion and temperature, and meafureof underftand-ingwith your felves, then you nay have hope toclcape ih? ruptures, which un-likelincfs and ciffercnccs of apprehenfi." ons might elfc caule

6* Moreover, fomc of your friends may fo far overgrow you in wifdom, or X9talth y ox honour, otworth, in their w« conceits, thac they may begin to take you to be unfuitable for them, and unmeet for their further fpecial friendfhip. Alas poor man, they will pity thec that thou art no wifer, and that thou haft no greater light to change thy mind as faft as

t^y,

thou arc fo weak and igno rant as nor to fee what (terns to them fo ciera truth; or th it thou arr lb to c felf by croiTmg them

that might prefer thee, or to fall under the di-pleafure of ritoi vc powe't

to raife or mine thee : But if thou be io fiynple, t\ : th- cbj :ft of their

lamentation, bu t art no familiar friend fGk them. They think it fitted to do convene with thofe of their o^n rkA ftatnre, and not with fuch *-fhrnbs an* dren\ that may prove their trouble and difiiorour.

7. And fome of your friends will think that by a h "ore through acquaint •tance with yoj, they have round out more of your infirmities cr / *and therefore have found that you are lefs aimable and valuable than at firft they judged you: They will think that by diftance, nnacquaintfedncf^ andanover-hafty love and judgment, they were ken in you ; and that now they fee e love which they think V/2LS guilty of fomc errors and ex-cefi: when rhey come nearer you, and have hud more tryal of you, they wiH think they are fitter to judge of you than

before:

wttn voa tnjoutucte. 23 before : And indeed our detects are fo many, and all our infirmities fo great, he'more men know us, the more they may fee in us that ccferveth pity or regj-oof; and as P.. ur:s, we appearlefs beautiful at the neareft view; Thought this will not warrant the withdrawing of that Love which is cue to friends, and to vertue even in the imperfeft .• nor will e*cufe that alienation and decay of friendship that is caufed by the pride of iuch as overlook, perhaps much greater failings and weakmiTe* in themieive?, which need forgivenefs.

8. And perhaps frme of your Friends will grew weary of their Friendfhip, having that infirmity of humane nature, not to be much pleafed with one thing long. Their love is a flower that quickly withereth: It is a fhort liv'd I tfut foon groweth old. It muft be n ty that muft feed their love and their de-light.

9. And perhaps they may hive got forae better Friends in their apprehen-fions, that may have fo much intereft as to take them up, and leave no room for antient Friends. It may be they have met with thofc that are more j'mtabU^ or

van

can be more ufeful to them .• that havt more learnings or wit, or wealthy or power , than yon have, and therefore feem more worthy of their Frimdftiip.

10. And fome of tJiera may think when you are in a low and [offering ftute, and, in danger of \vorft, that it is part of their duty of [elf-yr enervation to be ftrange to youfthough in heart they wi fh you well.) They will think thry are not bound to hazard themfelves u^on the difplealure ©f fuperiours, to own or befriend you or any other : Though they muft not defert Chrift, they think they may defert aw for their own prcfervation.

To avoid both extreams in fuch a cafe, men rxuft both ftudy to underftand which way is moft ferviccable to Chrift, and to his Church, and withal to be able to deny themfelves, and alio muft ftudy to underftand what Chrift meaneth in his final fentence \jn as much as yon did it (or did it not) to one of the leafi of thefe my Brethren^ you did it (or did it not (to me.} As if it were to vifit the Contagions, we muft neither caft away our lives to do no goody or for that which in value holdeth no proportion with them; nor yet muft wc deny to run any hazard when it is indeed

deedo*rduty: So ft it in our vifiting thofc that fuffer for the caufe of Chrift ; (but that here the owning thtrn being the cot-fejfing of him, we need raorc ieldora to fear being too forward.)

11. And fome of your friends may cover their faithfulnefs with the pretence of fome fault that you have been guilty of* fome erronr that you hold, or fome m-hanfom or culpable act that you have done, or fome duty that you have left undone or failed in. For they think there is not a better fhelter for their unfaithfulnefs y then to pretend for it the Name and Caufe of God, and fo to make a duty of their fin. Who would not juftifie them, if they can but prove, that God requireth tkem % and Religion obligeth them to for fake you for your faults ? There are few crimes in the world that by fome are not fathered, on God C that moft hateth them) as think-j ing no name can fo much honour them* Falfe friends therefore ufe this means as well as other Hypocrites: And though God is Love, and condemneth nothing more than tmharitajplenefs &: malise,yct theje are commonly by falfharted Hypocrites, called by pious vertuous names, and God himfdf is entitled to them: fa C that

that few worldlings, ambitious pcrfons or timefervers, but will confidently pretend Religion for all their falftiood to their friends, or bloody cruelty to the fervants of Chrift, that comply not with their carnal intereft.

12. Perhaps ibme of your friends may really miftakeyour cafe, and think that you fuffer as evil doers, and inftead of cow forting you, may be your Jharpefi cenfur-ers : This is one of the moft notable things fct out to our obfervation in the book of Job: It was not the fmalleft part of his affli&ion, that when the hand of God was 'heavy upon him, and then if ever Was the time for his friends to have been his comforters, and friends indeed, on the contrary they became his fcoarge > and by un]ufi accufaiimsj and mifinterfre-tations of the providence of God, did greatly add to his affliaion ! when God had taken away his children, wealth and health, his friends would take away the reputation and comfort of his integrity ; and under pretence of bringing him to repentance, did charge him with that which he was never guilty of; They wounded hitgood'tJamt, and would have wounded his confeime % and deprived him of his inward

with God in folitude. 2 7 ward peace: Cenforious falfe accufing friends do cut deeper then malicious flan* dring enemies. It is no wonder if ftrang* trs or enemies do misjudge and raifreport our a<3ions: But when your bojom friends^ that fnould raoft intimately know you, and be the chcif witnefs of your innoceacy againft all others, (hall in their jealoufie* or envy, or peeviflincfs, or falling out, be your chief rcproachers and unjuft accu-fcrs, as it makes it fervc more credible to others, fo it will come neareft to your felves. And yet this is a thing that muft be expefted : yea even your moft fel f denying atts of obedience to God, maybe fo miiundcrftood by godly men, and real friends, as by them to be taken for your great mifcarraige, and turned to your rebuke: As Davids dancing before the Ark was by his wife} which yet did but make him refolve to be yet more vile.- If you be caft into poverty, ordifgrace. or prifon, orbanifhment, far your ncceflary obedience to Chrift, perhaps your friend or wife may become your accufer for this greateft fervice, and fay, This it your own doing: your rafhnefs, or in-difcrction, orfelf-conceitednefc, orwilf-fulncfs hath brought it upon you; what C 2 need

need had you to fay fuch words, or to do this or that ? why could not you have yeildcd in fo fmall a matter ?] Perhaps your coftlieft and mofl excellent obedience (hall by your nearefi friends be called the fruits of f ride 9 or humour; or pajfiw, or, fomc corrupt affeftion, or at leaft of folly and incotifideratenefs. When flefli and blood hath long been ftriving in yon a-gainft your duty, and faying, []Do not caft away thy felf: O ferve not God at fo dear a rate: God doth not require thee to undo thy felf: why fhouldcft thou not avoid fo great inconveniences ? 2 When with much ado you have conquered all your carnal rcafonings, anddenyed your ielves and your carnal intereft-, you muft expeft even from forae religious friends,; to be accufcd for thefe very a&ions, and perhaps their accufations may fatten fuch a blot upon your names, as (hall never be wafhed out till the day of judgment. By difference of interefts, or apprehenfions, and by unacquaintednefs with your, hearts, and anions, the righteoufnefsof of the righteous may be thus taking from him, and friends may do the work of e-nemies, yea of Satan himfelf the accufer of the brethren; and may prove as thorns

in

with God in folitude. 29 in your bed, and gravel in your fhoes, yea in your eyes, and wrong you much more than open adverfaries could have done. How is it like to go with that mans Yepu+ation, y?u may eaftly judge, whofe friends are Jike Jobs^ and his enemies like Davids, that lay fnares before him, and diligently watch" for matter of reproach : yet this may befall the beji of men.

ib. You may be permitted by God to fall into fomc real crime, and then your friends may poflibly think it is their duty to difown you, fo far as you have wronged God: When you provoke God to frown upon you,he may caufe your friends to froWn upon you : If you fall out with hiro, and grow ftrange to him, no marvel if your trueft friends fall out with you, *nd grow ftrange to you. They love you for your godlineft, and for the fake of Chrift , and therefore muft abate their love if you abate your godlinefc \ and muft for the fake of Chrift be difpleafcd with you for your fins. And if in fuch a cafe of real guilr, you ftiouldbe difpleafcd at their difpleafurc, and fhould expert that your friend fhould befriend your fin, or c*3rry himfelf towards you in your guilt C 3 as

jo Of Converfmg

as if you were innocent, you wifl but fhew that you underftand not the nature ef true friendfliip, nor the ufe of a true friend', and are yet your fclves too friend -ly to your fins.

14. Moreover, thofe few friends that ire trueft to you, may be utterly unable to relieve you in your diftrefs, or to give you cafe, or do you any good. The cafe may be fuch that they can but pity you and lament your forrows, and weep over you : you may fee in them that man is not as God, whofc friendship can ac-coraplifh all the good that hedefireth to hie friends. The wifeft and greatcft and beft of men are filly comforters, and un-eflfeftual helps: you may be fick, and pained, and grieved, and diftrcfled, not-withfttndiQg anything that |h?y can dq for you: Nay, perhaps in their ingno-rance, they may increafc your raifcry, while they defire your relief, and by driving indirectly to help and eafe you, may tye the knot fafter and make you worfe. They may provoke thofe more againft you that opprefs you, while they think they fpeak that which would ttnd to let you free ; They may think to eaje your troubled minds by fuch words as fhall**-

creafe

with God in folitude. $i

creafe the trouble : or to deliver you as Peter would have delivered Chrift, and I laved his Saviour, firft by carnal counfel t JMath. 16. 22, [Be it far from'thee Lord, this foall not be unto thef\ And then by carnal unjuflforce, (by drawing hisfword againft the Officers.) Love and good mean* %ng will not prevent the mifchiefs of ignorance and miftakc. If your friend cut your throat while he thought to cut but a vein ro cure your difcafe, it is not his friendly meaning that will fave your lives. Many a thoufand fick people are killed by their friends^ that attend them with an carneft defire of their life \ while they ignorantly give them that which is contrary to their difeafe, and will not be the lefs pernicious for the good meaning of the giver. Who have more tender af-feftions than Mothers to their children? And yet a great part of the calamity of the World of ficknefc, and the mifery of mans life, procccdeth from the ignorant and erroneous indulgence of Mothers to their Children, who to pleafc them, let them eat and di ink what they will, and ufc them to excefs and gluttony in their ch 1 hood, till nature be abufed and mattered and cloggei with thofc fuperflui-G 4 ties

p Of Conveyfwg

ties and crudities, which are the dunghill matter of moft of the following dif-eafes of their lives.

I might here alfo remember you how your friends may themfelves be overcome' with a temptation, and then become the more dangerous tempters of you, by how much the greater their intereft is in your affe&ions. If they beinfe&ed vith errory they are the likeft perfons to enfnare you .-If they be tainted with Qovetouf-xefs or Fridey there is none fo likely to draw you to the fame fin : And fo your friends may be in effect your moft deadly inemies, deceivers and deflroyers.

.15. And if you have friends that are never fo f t rm and conftant, they may prove (not only unable to relieve you) but very fcicreafing to your.grief.. If they arc ^afflifted in the participation of your fuf-ferifigs^ as your troubles arc become theirs (without your eafe^ fo their trouble for yon will become years, and fo your (lock of forrow will be encreafed. And they are mortals, and liable to diftrefs as well as you, And therefore they are like to bear their (hare in feveral forts of fuf-ferings: Andfo friendfhip will make their fufferings to be yours: Their ficknefles

and

and pains, their fears and griefs, their wants and dangers will all be yours. And the more they are your hearty Friends, the more they will be yours. And fo you will have as many additions to the proper burden of your griefs, as you havefuffcring Friends: When you do but hear that they are dead, you fay as Thomas , Joh. U. 16. {Let hs alfo go that tve may die with himQ And having many fuch friends you will almoft always have one or other of them in di-ftrefs; and fo be feldom free from for-row; befides all that which is properly your own.

16, Laftly, if you have a Friobd that is both true and ufeful, yet you may be fure he muft ftay with you but a little while. The godly men wilt ceafe^ and the faithful fail from among the Children of men, while men cf lying fluttering lips, and double hearts furvivc^ and the wicked walk-on every fide while the vileji men are exalted, Pfal. 12. 1, 2, 8- while iwarms offalfe malicious men, are left round a-bout you, perhaps God will take aw T ay your deareft Friends: If among a multitude of unfaithful ones, you have but one that is your friend-indeed, perhaps C 5 God

God wifl take away that one. He may be fcparated from you into another Country -, or taken away to God by Death. Not that God doth grudge you the mercy of a faithful Friend •, but that he would be your Ally and would not have you hurt your fclves with too much affe&ion to any Creature, and for other reafons to be named anon.

And to be forfaken of your friends, is not all your afRiaion •, but to be fo forfaken is a great aggravation of it, i. For they ufe to forfake tu in our grcateft fuf-Ferings and ftreights, when we have the greatcft need of them.

2. They fail us moft at a dying hour^ jwhen all other worldly comfort faileth : 1 As we muft leave our houfes, lands and wealth, To muft we for the prefent leave our Friends: And as ail the reft arc filly comforters, when we have once received our citation to appear before the Lord r fa alfo are our Friends but filly Comforters: They can weep over us, but they cannot with all their care, delay the Separating ftroak of death, one day or hour.

Only by their prayers, and holy advice, romembringus of everlaftingthings, and

provoking

with God in folitude. £5

provoking us in the work of preparation, they may prove to us friends indeed. And therefore we muft value a holy, heavenly, faithful friend, as one of thegreat-cft Treafures upon Earth. And while we take notice how as men they may forfakc us, we muft not deny but that** Sums they are precious, and of Angular ufe to us; and Chrift ufeth by them to communicate his mercies \ and if any Creatures in the World may beblcffings to us, it is holy pzrfens, that have mod of God in their hearts and lives.

3. And it is an aggravation of the Crofs, that they often fail us, when we are mofi faithful in our Duty, and ftumble mod upon the mod excellent a&s of our obedience.

4. And thofe are the perfons that oft-times fail us, of whom we have deferv-ed beft, and from whom we might have cxpettcd moft.

Review the experiences of the choi-ceft Servants that Chrift hath had in the World, and you (hall find enough to confirm you of the vanity of man, and the inftability of the dearcft Friends. How highly was Athanafms efteemed ? and yet at laft defcrted and haniflicd even by

the

the famous Conftaxtine himfclfl How excellent a Man was Gregory Nazianzene, * and highly valued in the Church ? and I yet by reproach and difcouragerr.cnts 3 driven away from his Church at Con- -flantimple whither he was chofen: and envyed by the Bifhops round about him. How worthy a man was the eloquent Cbryfiflom, and highly valued in the Church! And yet how bitterly was he profecuted by filer owe and Epfhanius^ and banifhed, and dyed in a fecond ba-nifhment, by the provocation of Factious contentious Bifhops, and an Emprefs impatient of his plain reproofs ? What perfon more generally efteemed and honoured for learning, piety and peaceable-^ ,nefs then Mclanchtkon} and yet by the Contentions of lUyriais and his party, he was made aweary of his life. As highly as Calvin was fdefervedly) valued at Geneva, yet once in a popular lunacy and difpleafure, they drove him out of their City, and in contempt ofhimfome failed their Dogs by the name of Calvin \ fthough after they were glad to intrest him to return.) How much our Grinial and Abbot were efteemed, it appeareth by their advancement to the Archbifhop-

rick

rick of C'anterbury : And yet wl cth not that their eminent piety u not to keep them from dejecting frown* 1 And if you fey, t h at 11 is no wonder if with Princes through n with

Tecplj through levity, u be thus \ I might keep up infUrtces of the like un-truftinefs qS particular friends: But all Hiilory and the cxperic cs 0: the moft, do fo much aboua*! w.th them, that I think it needlefs. Which of us mud not fay with David that [all men are lyaz's~\ Pfal. 116. that is, deceitful and Hntrufij^ either through unfaithfulncfc, weaknefs or inefficiency, that either will forfa'^e us, or cannot help us in the time of need ? Was Cbrift firfaken in his extremity by his own Difciples y to teach us what to expeel, or bear ? Think it not ftrangc then to be conformed to your Lord in this, as well as in other parts of his humiliation. Expect that yWftf fhould prove deceitful: Not that you ihould entertain cenforioas fufpicions of your particular friends: But remember in general thut Man is frail, and the beft toofelfiH uncertain; and that it is no wonder if thofe fhould prove your greateft grief, from whom you had the higheft expeda-

tions.

$8

tier: en J§b y or ZX*.

tfid. Fricndi

more firm and unchangeable rhen theirs? Confidefj i. Tlial Creatures mult be fet at a fuffiriem diftance from the Creator. A v, Immutability

Jehovah* A>: :c;r;

: orbcE as glorious a body

as it is : ;<nder for a Friend,

K Friend, :o fail as, for a ::.re 5 ii the hour of our dtftrefs. There :.:c fV:,e that*/// net z But there is aw* fat ^4), if God (hould leave then :o ibcirweaftj I vour -foc^.: Ke harh m fidhility but what is de epea-

c ^".:, i -: nncemia,and defective. Lc : j therefore to reft on God a' no: ::

: :. 2. And Go: fennity of man to be raof*, that fo ^weJk^ may not be utterly tlifcturagec,

they :: I he ftrongeft alto have their

info* ~ rest as::

bolmefsand idcliry 9 widtoal *s) fludtitg*

-:nblii»gin the : would tempt

fome felf-accufmg troubled Souls, to think that they were altogether gracelefs, be-caufe they are io fat ihort of others. But when we resd of a Peters denying his Matter in ib horrid a manner, with fwear-d curfing that he knew not rhe man, Mat. 2.6. 74. And of hisdiflimulationand not walking uprightly, GaL 2, and of a Vavids'untricridly and unrighteous dealing with ASephibofieth, the feed of Jonathan \ and of his raoft vile and treacherous dealing with Vriah y a faithful and defcrving Subjeft*, it may both a--bate our wonder and offence at the un-fathfulncfs of our Friends, and teach us to corapaflionate their frailty, when they defert us; and alfo fomewhat -a-bate our immoderate dejettednels and trouble, when we have failed God or man our fclves.

3. Moreover, confider, howtheoai-cufnefs of that //#, which is the root and caufe of fuch unfaithfulnefs, is greatly manifefted by the failing of our Friends. God will have the odiotfnefs of the Remnants of our Self love and Carnal mind-ednefs^nd Cowardize appear. We fhould not difcern it in the Seed and Root, if we didnotfcc,and tafte it in the Fruits.

Seeing

Seeing without Taftivg will not fufficr-v ently convince us. A Q«b looks as-beautiful as an Apple 9 but when youl tafie it, you better know the differences! When you rauft your felves be unkindly fl ufeti by your Friends, and foriaken by I them in your diftrefs v and you have ' ta(led the Fruits of the Remnants of their Worldlinds,Seifi{hnefs and Carnal Fears, you will better know the odiouf-nefs of thefe Vices, which thus break forth againft all Obligations to God and you, and notwithstanding the-Light, the Gonfcience, and perhaps the Grace, that doth refift them.

4- Are you not prone to overvalue aad overlove your Friends? If fo, is not this the raeereft Remedy for your Difeafe ? In the loving of Godj we are ' in no danger of Excefs j and therefore have no need of any thing to quench it. And in the loving of the Godly partly upon the account of Chrift, and in loving Saints as Saints, we are not apt to go too far. But yet our Underftandings may miftake, and we may think th^t Saints have more of fanttity than indeed they have; and we are exceeding apt to mix a Seljifl) Common Love with that which

is

wtth yjod in joUttide. 41 ritual and holy • and at the C im& when we love a Ckriftian as a Mobrijlian, we are apt not only to love e Iriira (as we oughtj but t6 ever love him, fr,lbecaufe he is cur Frie>;d y and lovethw. ^hofe Chrift tans that have no fpec:.:i eve to its y we arc apt to undervalue [and negleti, and love them below their holinefs and worth : But thofcthatwc think entirely lcv$ ;//, we love^^e their proper Worth, as they ftand in the eftecm of God: Not but that we may 'ove thofe that love us, and add this love to that which is purely'for the fake of Chrift; but we fhou!d not let our ovn Inter eft prevail and overtop the Intereft of Chrift , norioveany/i muckioz lovinog HSy as for loving Chrift : And if we dof , no wonder if God (hall ufe fuch Reme* I dies as he fecth meet, to abate our ex-cufe of Selfifb Love.

O how highly are we apt to think of all that Good which is found in thofe who are the higheft efteemcrs of its, and moft dearly lovt its ; ivhefi perhaps in it felf it is but fptac ordinary Good, or ordinary Degree of Goo:'nds which is in them! Their Love to usunrefiftibly procurcth our Love to them: Ad

when

when we love them, it is wonderful to| v obferve, how eafily we arc brought tor think well of almoft all they do, and] highly to value their Judgments, Graces*] Parts and Works: When greater Ex* cellemies in another ptrhaps are fcarce obferved,or regarded but as a common thing : And therefore the deftruftioa or want of Love, is apparent in the vilifying Thoughts and Speeches, that moft Men have one of another •, and in the low efteem of the Judgments, and Performances, and Lives of other Men*, (mucK mote in their Contempt,Rcproaches, and cruel Perfections.) Now though God will have us encrcafe in our love of Ghrift in his Members, and in our pure love of Chriftians as fuch,and in our common Charity to all, yea, and in our juft Fidelity to our Friend •, yet would he have us fufpeft and moderate our felfifh and exceflTwe Love, and inordinate partial efteem of one above another, when it is but for our fclves, and on our own account. And therefore as he will rpake us know, that we our fclves are no fuch excellent Perfons, as that itfhould make another fo laudabV or advance his worth, becaufe he lovcth us-, fo he will make

us

is know, that our Friend?, whom we >vcrvalue, are but like other Men: [If we exalt them too highly in oor jft^cm, it is a fign that God muft caft [them down. And as their Love to us Jwas it that made us fo exalt them; fo their unkindnefs or unfaithfulncfs to us, lis the fitteft means to bring them lower in our eftimation and affection. God is [very jealous of our hearts, as to onr overvaluing and overloving any of his-Creatures. What we give inordinately and exceffively to them, is fome way or other taken from him, and given them to his Injury, and therefore to his offence. Though I know, that to be void of natural, friendly or focial af-fe&ions, is an odious- extreme on the other fide-, yet God will rebuke us, if we are guilty of Excefs. And it's the greater and more inexcufable fault to ovcr.Iove the Creature, because cur Love to God is fo cold, and haruly kindled and kept alive. He cannot take it well to fee us dcte upon dufl and frailty like our felvcs, at the fame time when all his wondrous kindnefs, and attractive goodnefs, do caufe but fuch a faint and languid Love to him, which

we

we oiirfelvescan karce!y feci. Jf there, fore he cures us by permitting ourFricnds to (hew us what thry arc, and how little they deferve fuch e-cdHv? Love (whent God hath fo little) it is no more wonder, than it is, that he is tender of his Glory,, and merciful to his Servants Souls.

5. By the failing and unfaithfulnefsof 1 our Friend*, the wonderful Patience of God will be observed and honoured, as ♦it isfbewedboth to tkem'and.us.>< When they for fake hs inourdiftrefs, (efpecially when we fu fife r for theCaufc ofChrift) it is GW that they injure more than us : Ann therefore if he bear'with them, and forgive their Wcaknefs upon Repentance, wby fhould not we do fo, 1 tha t are much !efs injured ? The worlds pcrfidcoufnefs fhould make us think, How great and wonderful is the patience of God, that beareth with, and beareth up fo vile, ungrateful, trcachcr-ous Men that abufehim, to whom they are infinitely obliged? And it ftnuld make u< ronfidcr,' when Men deal trea-cherouflv with us, How great is that mercy that hath born with, and par. doned greater* wrongs, which.I my felf have done to God, than thefe can be

which

1 which men have done to me! It was

- the remembrance (A D vi4$ Sin, that < had provoked God ro raiie up his own

- Son sgainfthim (of whom he had been

Itoo fandj which mat'e i c :o eafily bear the Curies and Reproach of ShimeL us bear abufe from othcrf, to remember how ill we have dealt with Go:!, and hovytllwe havedefer-ved at his bancs our ielvcs.

6. And I have o icrv< d another of the R s permitting the

failing of our Friends, in rh: feajon and fuccefs. It is, fhat the Lev* of pur Friends may wt hinder hs 'when we are called to fiiffer or die. When we over-love them, it rcarctn our very hearts to leave rh<n»: *\nd thereiorc it is a ftrong temptation to draw us from our Duty, and to be unfaithful to the caufe of Chrift, left we fliould be taken from our too-dear Friends, or left our differing caufe their too-much Grief. It is fo hard a thing to die with willing-nefs and peace, that it muft needs be a mercy to be faved from the Impediments which make us backward ** And the exceffive love of Friends and Relations, is not the lcaft of thelc Impediments.

tncnts. Ohow loth is many a one t( die, when they think of parting with Wife, or Husband or Children, ordeai and faithful Friends! Now I have often obferved, that a litrle before their deathf or ficknels, it is ordinary with God to; ptrroit fome unkindnefs between fuch too dear friends toarife, by which hjc moderated and abated their affe&ions, and made them a great deal the willinger to dye. Then we are ready to fay, it is time for me to leave the World, when not only the reft of the World, but my deareft Friends have firft forfaken me! This helpeth us to remember our deareft everlafting Friend, and to be grieved at the heart that we have been no truer our felves to him, who would not have forfaken us in our extremity. And fome-times it makes us ev'n weary of the world, and to fay as Elias, Lord take away my Life, &c. 1 King 19. 4,10,14. When we rauft fay, I thought I had one friend left, and behold even he forfaketh me in my diftrefs. ] As rhelove of Friends in-tangleth our afFe&ions to thisWorld,fo to be weaned by their unkindnefles from our Friends, is a great help to loofen us from the World, and provcth oft a very great

mercy

aercy to a Soul that is ready to depart. And as the friends that Love us moft, nd have moft intcreft in your efteem and ^ove, may do more than others, in temping us to be unfaithful to our Lord, to :o entertain any crrour, to commit any in, or to flinch in differing; fo when jod had permitted them to forfakc us, md tolofe their too great intereft in u% ,ve are fortified againft all temptations rom them. I have known where a former intimate friend hath grown ftrange, nd broken former friendfhip,and quickly after turned to fuch dangerous ways and errours, as convinced the other of the mercifulnefs of God, in weakning bi$ temptation by his friends defertion •, who might clfe have drawn him along with him into fin. And I have often obferved, that when the husbands have turneel from Religion to Infidelity, Familifm, or forae dangerous herefie, that God hath permitted them to hate and abufe their wives fo inhumanly, as that it prcfer-vcth the poor women frorr. the temptation of following them in their Apoftafie or fin; When as fome other women with whom their husbands have dealt more kindly, have been drawn away with them into pernicious paths. Therefore

Therefore ftill I nmft fay, we were undone if we had the difpofmg of oui own conditions. It would belong before tve fhould have been willing our fclves to be thus unkindly dcdlt with by oufr friends: And yet God batti made it rq many a foul, a notable means o f 'prefer-▼ifrg them from being undone fer ever. Yea the unfatthfulnejs of all our friends^ and the malice and cruelty of al! our ene-mcSy doth us not ufually fo much harm, as the love andfrw^ ►ffpme o r e de-

luded erring friend, whom we are ready to follow into the gulf.

7, Laftly, confidcr that it is n$t deferable or fuitable to oar ftate, to have toe much of our comfort by any creature : Not only becaufe it is moft pure and fweet which.is moft immediately from God; but silo becaufe we are very prone to over-love the Creature \ and if it fhould but feem to be very commodious to us,by ferving our necefnties or defires, it would feem the more amiable, and therefore be the ftronger fnare: The work of mortification doth much confift in the annihilation or deadnefs of ajl the Creatures as to any power to draw away our hearts from God, or to entangle us and detain

us

Jus from our duty. And the more excef-lent and lovely the Creature appeareth to us, the leis it is dead to us, or we to

lit •, and the more will it be able to hinder

lor enfnare us*

When you have well confidered all theic things, I tuppofc you will admire the wiido fa of God in leaving you under this M"nd of tryal, and weaning you from every creature, and teaching you by his Providence as well as by his word, to Ccafc from'w*v 7 vphofe breath is in his rfoflrils ; for rvksrein is he to be Accounted of? ] And you will fee that it's no great wonder th. t cc | 0 - fd Is, that live in other fins fhould y of this un-

f itfifulnfcfs to their friends: And that he that dare unthank'fully trample upon the unfpeakabie kindnefs of the Lord fhoulci deal unkindly with the beft of men, You make no great wonder at other kin fin?, when you fee the world continually commit them ; v* hy then fhould you make a greater or a (hanger matter of this than of the reft? Arc yen better than G Mud unfaithfu!nc' 1 e made more

hainous, than that u feithfulnefs to him, which yet you daily fee and i],ght ? The U*iji wrong toGod is > .houfandfold more D than

than the grcatcft that can be done to you, as fuch. Have you done that for your neareft friend, which God hath done for hirn and you, and all men ? Their obligations to you are nothing in comparifon of their great and manifold obligations to God.

And you know that you have more wronged God, yourfdves y than any man ever wronged you: And if yet for all that he bear with ycu, have you not great reafons to bear with others ?

Yea, you have not been innocent te-wardt men your felves: Did you never wrong or fail another? Or rather, are you not apter to fee and aggravate the wrong that others do to you, than that "which you have done to ethers ? May you not call to mind your own negletts, and fay, as Jdoniz.ebeck-y Judg. i. 7. £ Three/core and ten Kings having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered their me#t under my table : As I have done^ fo God hath requited me7\ Many a one have I failed or wronged : ^nd no wonder if others fail and wrong me.]

Nay you have been much more unfaithful and injurious to your [elves, than ever any other hath been to you. No friend

was

with God in folitude. 5 e was fo near you, as your /elves; None had fach a charge of you: None had fuch helps and advantages to do you good or hurt: And yet all the Enemies you have in the world, even in Earth or Helf, have not wronged and hurt you half fo much as you have done yourfelves. O, rncthinks the man or woman that know-eth themfelves, and knoweth what it is to Repent \ that ever faw the greatnels of their fin and folly, (hould have no great mind or leifure, or aggravate the failings of their friends^ to the injuries of their enemies, confidering what they have proved to themfelves !Have I forfeited my own falvation, and deferved everlafting Wrath, and fold my Saviour and my Soul for fa bafe a thing as finful pleafure, and fhall I ever make a wonder of it, that another man doth raj fomc temporal hnrt ? Was any friend fo near to me as my felf ? Or more obliged to me? O finful foul, let thy own, rather then thy friends deceic and treachery, and negleib, be the matter of thy difplcafure, .wonder and cora^ plaints!

And let thy Cor.firmity herein to Jefus

Chrift, be thy holy ambition and delight :

Not as it is thy fnffering, nor as it is cau-

D2 fed

fed by mens fin; but as it is thy Confirnnty\ and fcllowfhip in the bufferings of thy Lord, andcaufed by his Love.

I havenlrcady fhevved you thaty^r-ers for Chrift, are in the higheft form a-raong his Difciples. The Order of his followers ufuallyis this:, i. At our entrance, and in the lowed form, we are exerciicd with the fears- of He!), and Gods difpleafure, and in the Works of Repentance for the fin that we have done. 2. In the fecend form, we come to think more ferioufly of the Remedy, and to enquire what we fliafl do to be laved, arid to underftand better what Chrift hath d; nc and fuffered, and what he is and will be to us •, and to value him and his love and grace. An;i here we are much enquiring .how we may know cur own fincerity. and our intereft in Chrift, and are labouring for fotne af. furance, and looking after figns of Grace. 3. In the next form or order we are ferirching after further Knowledge, and labouring better to uncter-ftand the myft^ries of Religion, and to get above the Rudiments and firft Principles : And here if we efcape turning bare Opinionifts or Hcreticks by the

fnare

with God in fo&tnde. 5 j of Controverfie or Curiofity, it's 4. In the next form we fet cur' 1 r) the fuller, improvement of all jrther decrees of Knowledge •, and to digejl id tarn it into fircnger

Fdithy and Zsir, and £%?, ;md greater Humility^ Paticr-ccy ^df-denial^ Morti-\ of Earthly Vani-:d of Sin ; and to \ more watchfully and holily, and to be more in holy Duty. 5. In the next form we grow to be more pub] fpirited: To let our Hearts on the Churches welfare, and long more for the progrefs of the Gofpel, and fo: the good of others; and to do all the good in the World that we are able, for mens Souls or Bodies, but efpecially to long and layout ourfelves for theCon-verfion and Salvation of ignorant, ie-cure, unconverted Souls. The counterfeit of this, is, An eager defire to Piofefyte others to ov.r Opinions or that Religion which we ha^rt choien, by the direction of FIcfh and Blood, or which is not of God, nor according unto Godlinefs, bur doth iublerve our carnal Ends. 6. In the next form we grow to ftudy more the pure and wonderful D 3 Love

Love of God in Chrift, and to relifli and admire that Love, and to be taken up with the goodnefs and tender mercies of the Lord, and to be kindling the Flames of holy Love, to him that hath thus loved us; and to keep our Souls in the Exercifeof that Love : And with-a! to live in Joy, and Thanks, and Praife; to him that hath redeemed us and loved *i& And alio, by Faith to converfe in Heaven, and to live in holy contemplation, beholding the Glory of the Father and the Redeemer in the Glafs, which is fitted to our prefent ufe, till we come. to fee him face to face, Tho f e ths are the higheft in this form, doibw Ik; *mh God, and burn in Love, and are: lb much above inferiors Vani:ies, and! are fo convcrlant by Faith in Heaven/ ihat their hearts even dwell there, and jtherc they long to be forever. 7. Ani* 3n the highdft form in the School of Chrift, we , re exercifing this confirmed Faith and Love, in bufferings, efpeciaily for Chrift. In following him with our Crofs, and being conformed to him, and glorifying God in the fulicft exercife and difcovery of his Graces in us »M in an aftual trampling upon all that

ftandcth

ftandeth up againfthim, for our hearts; \r\ bearing the fulled witnefs to his Truth andCauie, by conftant enduring, tfjough to the Death. Not but that the weakefl that are fincere, muft faffer for Chrift, if he call them to it. Martyr-

Idom it felf is not proper to the ftrong Believers-. Whoever forfaketh not all that he hath for Chrift, cannot be his Difciple, Luke 14. 33^. But to fuffer with that Faith and Love forcmention-ed, and in that manner, is proper to the ftrong: And ufually God doth not try and exercife his young and weak ones with the tryals of the ftrong; noc fet .his Infants on fo hard a fervice, nor put them in the front or hotteft of the Battel, as he doth the ripe confirmed Chriftians. The fufferings of their inward Doubts and Fears doth take up fuch. It is the ftrong that ordinarily are called to Sufferings for Chrift, at Iraft in my high Degree, I havedigreft far to make it plain to you, that our Conformity to Chrift, and fcttowftrip with him in his Sufferings, in any notable degree^ is the lot of his befl confirmed Servants, and the hjgheft form in his School, among his Difciples: And D 4 therefore

therefore not to be inordinately fcaicdl or abhorred, nor to be the matter oil

impatiency, but of holy joy; a fuch infirmities we may glory. And if! it be fo of Sufferings in the^i Chiift) then is it fo of this particular^ fort of Suffering, even to be forilken of all our beft and ncareft, deareft Frien'ds, when we come to be n.ofl abufed by the Enemies.

For my own part, I muft confefs tha; as I am much wanting in other parts of my conformity to Chrift, fo I take my felf to be yet much fhort of what I expeft he fhould advance me to, as long as my Friends no more forfake me. It is not long fince I found my felf in a low (if not a doubting) cafe, becaufe I had fo few Enemies and fo little Sufferings for the Caufe of Chrift (though 1 had much of other forts:) And now that doubt is removed by the multitude of Furies which God hath let loofe a-gainft me. But yet, methinks, while rny Friends themfelves are fo friendly to me, I am much"fhort of what I think I muft at laft attain to.

But

BUT Ice us look further in the Text, and fee what is the Caufc of the failing and forfaking Chrift in the Difciples, and what it is that they betake thercfelvcs to, when they leave him.

I [Ye [hall bs fcattered every Mim to his Oven.~\

Self-Denyal was not perfeft in them, felfifhnefs therefore in this hour of temptation did prevail. They had before forfaken all to follow Chrift; they had left their Parents, their Families, their Eftaret, their Trade?, to be his Difciples: * Bat though they believed him to be the Chrift, yet they dreamt of a vifible Kingdpoi, and did all this with too carna! Expeditions of being great men on Earth, when Chrift (hoLld-begin his Reign. And therefore when. they faw his apprehenfion and ignominious luflfering, and thought now th;y were fruftrate of their hop:s, theyfeem to repent that they had followed him f though not by Apoftacy and an habi-or plenary change of mind, yet) fudden paffionatc, frightful ap henfion, which vanifhed when grace per-D 5 formed

formed its part. They now began to I think, that they had lives of their Om\ to fave, and families of their Own t* orind, and bufmefs of their Oven to do; They had before forfaken their private: Jmerefts and Jjfaiys, and gathered thenu-j felvcs to Jefus Chrift, and lived in Communion with him, and one another. But now they return to their Trades andv Callings, and are fcaltered every Mtin to his own.

Selfiflweff is the great Enemy of all Societies, of all Fidelity and Friendship. There is no trufting that perfon in whom it is predominant. And the Remnants' of it where it doth not Reign, do make men walk unevenly and unftedfaftly towards God and men. They will certainly deny both God and their Friends, in a time of tryal who are not able to deny themfelves: Or rather,-he never was a real Friend to any, that is pre* dominantly felfifli. They have alway fome intereft of their Own*, whijh their Friend muft needs contradift, or is inefficient to (atisfie. Th;ir Houfes, their Lands, their Moneys, their Children, their Honour, or fomething which they call their Onw, will be frequently

the

(the matter of contention- and are fe \near thenr, that they can for the fake ! of thefe caft off the neareft Friend. Contract no fpecial friendfhip with a felfifh man: Nor put no confidence in him, whatever Friendfhip he may profefs. He is fo confined to himfclf, that he hath no true love to fpare for others : If he feem to love a Friend, it is not a6 a Friend, but as a Servant, or at beft ss a Benefaftor: He lovcth yon for himfelf, as he Ioveth his Mony, or Horfc, or Houfe, becaufe you may be fcrviceable to him: Or as a Horfe or Dog doth love his Keeper, for feeding him. And therefore when your Provender is gone, his Love is gone} when you have done feeding him, he hath done loving you. When you have no more for him, he hath no more foe you.

Objett. But (fome will fay) it is not the falfcnefs of my Friend that I lament, but the feparation, or the lofs of one that was mo ft faithful: / have found the deceit fttlntfs of ordinary Friends, and there* fcr$ the more highly prize thofe few that are fincere. . / had but one tn

Umdanse of felffcektrSy Ufa

one is dead, or taken from mc 7 and 1 ami left as in a Wildernefs, having no mortal man that I can truft or take much comfort in*

j4nfw. Is this your cafe ? I pray you \\ anfwcr thefe few Queftions, and fuller* the truth to have its proper work upon your mind.

Queft. I. Who was it that deprived you cf your Friend ? Was it not God? Did not he that gave him you take him from you ? Was it not his Lord and Owner that call'd him home? And can God do any thing injurioufly oramifs? will you not give him leave to do as he lift with his own,? Dare you think that there was wanting either Wifdom or Goodnefsy Jaftice or Mercy in God's dif-pofal of your Friend ?* Or will you ever have Reft, if you cannot have Reft in the Will of God ?

2. How know you what fin your Friend might have fallen into 9 if he had lived as long as you would have him? You'll fay, that God could havepreferved him from Gn. It's trjie : But God prefer-vcthfapient tally, by means, as well as. omnipotentially: And fometime he feeth that the temptations to that perfon are

ILe

Uketobe fo ftrong, and his Corruption like to get fuch advantage, and that no means is fo fit as Death it felf, for his prefervation. And if God had permitted your Friend by temptation to have ; into iorae icandj«ous fin, or courfe of evil, or into error*, or falie ways, it not ha/c txen much worfe Death to him and you ? might ed your F

Was fo /. ttkful, to have bee (haken a, Facr w his Lord \ and to have fcemed i cvfttEyci) as he before ice

. ble.

3. How kntw jat wh,:t 1 ] to

your fclf^ your dear eft friend % been guilty of? Alas ! there is greater frailty and inconftarxy in man, than you

aware of. And there are roots of Corruption unmortifi may fpring up into bitter Fruits, mod of us ever difcover. in our felvcs. Many a Mother hath her heart hrrken by the unnatu:a!ncfs of fuch or the unkinJncfs of fuch a Husbaftd, as if they had died before, would have been lamented by her, with great impatience and excels. How confident

ioever

foevcr you may be of the future Fide-' lity of your Friend, you little know what tryal might have difcovercd. Many* a one hath Puled God and Man that: once were as confident of 7 ifytoftlves, km ever you were of your Friend. Ahd^ which of us fee not reafon to be dif-truftful of our feives ? And can we know another better than ourfdv.s? or pro-mife more concerning him ?

4. How know yon what great calamity might have befallen your Friend, if he had . lived as long as you defired? When the Righteous feemto men to perijh 7 and mer m ciful Men are taken away, it is from the evil to come that they are taken, If4. 57. 1. How tinny of my Friends have I lamented as if they had dyed unfeafonably, concerning whom fome following Providence quickly (hewed me, that it would have been a grievous mifery to them to have li/ed longer ! Little know you what Calamities were imminent on his Perfon, his Family, Kindred, Neighbours, Country, that would have broke his Heart: What if a Friend of yours had died in> medi tely before fome calamitous fubver-fion of a Kingdom, fome ruines of the Church, &c. And if ignorantly he had

done

done that which brought thdc things to an you imagin how lamentably fad his life would have been to him, to have feen the Church, the Gofpel, and his Country info fad a cafe ? efpecially if it had been long of him ? Many that have unawares done thai which hath ruined but a particular Friend, have lived in fo much grief an i trouble, as mace them, confent that death fhould both revenge the injured on them, snd conclude their mifery. What then would it have teen to have fcen the publick good fubvc and the faithfu! overwhelmed in mifery, and the Gofpel hindred, and ho!y wor-fhip changed for deceit and vanity; and for Confcicnce to have been daily fay-[ I had a hand in all this mifery : i kindled the fire that hath burned up all. 3 What comfort can you think fuch Friends if they had fuivived, would have found en Earth? Unlefsit were a comfort to hear the Complaints of the affiift-ed, to fee and hear fuch odious fins as fomctimes vexed righteous Lot to fee and hear} or to hear of the fcandals of one Friend, and the Apoftafie of another, fend the finful compliances and dcclinings of a third •, and to be under temptations, reproaches

proache* and afflictions themfelves? Is it a matter to be fo much lamented that God hath prevented their greater mile-ries and wo ?

5. What was the World to your Friends while they diden]oy it ? Or what is it now, or like to be hereafter to vourfelves? Was it fo good and kind to them, as that you fhould laticnt their feparation from it i Was it not to them a place of toil and trouble, of envy and vexation, of enmity and poifon? of fucceflive cares and fears an J.giiefs ? And word of all, a place of fin ? Did they groan under the burden of a finful nature, a diftempered, temptei, troubled heart of languifhings and weakiefs of every grace; of the re-bukes of God, the wounds of Conference, and the malice of a wicked World ? And would you have them under thefe again ? Or is their deliverance become your grief? Did you not often joyn in prayer with them, for deliverance from Malice, Calamities, troubles, imperfe&ions, temptations and Sin? And now thofe Prayers are anfwered in their deliverance: And do you now grieve at that which then you frayed for?

Doth the World uk yonrfeh.es fo well

and

indiy, as chat \cu (hould be iorry taken< tol theFcaft? Arc you not groaning from c ] ay to day your I And are you grieved that

yo jr friends are. taken trim your g>

i with your own

Lion: When you look into ^our

a arc difplea ^.mplain }

j are and complain : When you look into \ our Families, intoyour A. hoods, unto your friendsjMO t';e pi unto the Kingdom, unto the World,

.fpieaied and complain : And are you alio difplcafed that yqu Frier Is are not under th: fame difpleafcdnefs and complaints as you ? Is the World a place of Reft or trouble to you ? An J would you havj your friends to be,as far from Heft

An i if you have fome Eafe and Tes.ce at prefent, you little know what ftorras are ncai ! You may fee the days, you

tydiags, you may feel the griping griefs and pains, which may r yourfclves, at a life on Earth is no fcli-ipakcyouconi BLflcd that Are de.id in the Lord, as reft-

ing from their Labours^ and being paftl thefe troubles, griefs and fears. Many a| poor troubled Sou! is in fo great diftrcfs,| ss that they tike their own lives to have! fometafteoi Hell: And yet at the fame time, are grieving becaufe their friends \ are taken from them, who would have been grieved for their griefs, and for ought they know might have fallen into as fad a ftue as they themfelves are now lamenting. *

6 V 0 you think, it is for the Hurt or the good of your Friend, that he is removed hence ? It cannot be for his Hurt unlefs he be ia Hell. (At Icaft, it is uncertain whether to live would have been for his Good, by an increafe of Grace, and fo for greater Glory.) And if he be. in Hdl) he s f as no fit perfon for you to take much fieafare in upon Eanh : He might be indeed a fit Objeft for your CorKpaffio/t) but not for your Complacency. Sure you are not undone for want of fuch company as God will not endure in his fight, and you muft be feparated from for ever. But if they be in Heaven, you arc fcarce their Friends if you Would wifh them thence. Friendship hath as great re-fpe& to the good of our Friends as of our

ftlvcs.

with God infolitude. 6j wfefoes. And do you pretend to Friendfhip, and yet lament the removal of your friend to his grcatefl: happinefs.' Do you fet more by your own enjoying his compa-then by enjoying God in perfeft blefledncfs? This (heweth a very culpable defeft either in Faith ox FriexdJJrip$ and therefore beieemerh not Christians and Friends. If Love teacheth us to mourn with them that mourn, and to re-joyce with them that rejoyce; can it be an aft of rational Love to mourn for them (that are poffeffed of the higheft ever-lafting joyes ?

7. God wit nit honour himfelf by one on-ly, but by many: He knoweth heft when his work is done: When our Friends have ed all that God intended them for* v. hen he put them into the World, is it not time for them to be gone, and for rs to tdke their places, and finifh their Work^ alio in their time? Gcd will have a fucceflkn of his Servants in the Wor! a you not coxc down, and

give place to him that is to fol ! ow yc-u, when your part is splayed , and his is to begin ? If Davidhzd n r t dyed, there bad been no Solomon, no Jebbjkaphat, no He-nikjah) no Jofith, to fucceed him and honour

nour God in the fame Throne. You as wifely grudge that one day o Ay takes! not up all the Week, and that the cl ckl ftr.kech not the fame hour (till, bat pro-l ceedeth from one to two. from jtwo to 1* three, &c. as to muraiur that one man lft only continueth not to do the work of | his place excluding hisSucccfTors.

§< Xou muft not have all your Mercies ■ hy one Meffen(er or Hand: God will have you confine your Love to one onlyI of his Servants: And therefore he wilfl not make one only ufefuLto you: But when one hath delivered his MefTagesnd done his part, perhaps God will iien J you other Mercies by another hand: And it belongeth to him to choofe the Meffen-ger who gives the gift, ^nd if you will Childifrly dote upon thefirft Mcffenger, and fay you will have no more, your fro-; wardnefs moredeferveth Correction than Compaffion: And if you be kept fafting tili you can thankfully take your Food, from any hand that your Father fends it by, it is a Correction very fuitable to your fin.

9. Bo you Jo highly value your Friends for God, er for them, orforyourfclves^in the find confederation I If it was/*r God,

what

what reafon of trouble have yoj,that God hzth difpofed of them, according to his wildom and unerring Will ? fhcu'd you not then be more pleafcd that God hath them, and employeth them in his high-£ft fervke, than diffleafed that yon want thcrj ?

But if you value them and love them for themjdves, they are now more lovely when they are more perfeft ; and they are now fitter for your content and joy, when they have themfeivesvinchangeable content and j i they could be in

their fin and forro

But if vou valued and loved them but for your fdvescnly^ it is juft with God to take :hem from you, to teach you to value Men to righter ends, and upon bet-tei confiderations : And both to prefer God before your fdves, and better to ur.dcrftand the nature of true Friendfhip, and better to know that your cwn felicity is not in the hands of any Creature, but of Godalond

JO. Did yon improve your Friends n

d them ? or did you only love

them, while you made but little nfe

if tbeniUn your Souls? If ycuufed them

nor, it was juft with Gcd for all your

Love

Love to take them from you. They wert given you as your Candle^ not only to Love it y biito work by the Light of it And as your Garments •, not onfy to Love ibetn, but to weart':em •, and as your tneatj not only to Love it, but to feed upon it) Did you receive their Counfel, and hearken to their Reproofs, and pray with them, and confer with them upon thole holy Truths that tended to elevate your!; minds to God, and to inflame your Bre;iftii with facred Love? If nor, be it now known to you, th^t God gave you not fuch helps and mercies only to talk of^ or look upon, and Love, but alfo to improve for the benefit of your Souls.

II. Do yon not feem to forget both, where yon are your felves, und whert yon mnfi fhortly and for ever live} Where would you have your Friends, but wher^ you muft bzyonr felies I- Do you mourn that they are taken hence ? Why, if they^ hadftaid here a thoufand years, how little of that time fhould you hive had their Company? When you are almoft leaving the World your felves, would you not fend your treafurc before you to the place where you muft abide ? How quickly will you pafs from hence to God,

where

fhjere you (hall find your Friends that

r ou lamented as if they had been lo(%

nd there fhall dwell with them for ever 1

3 foolifh Mourners/ would you not

lave your Friends at home\ itthtirbfmp

ind your home, with their Father, and

gh> Father 1 their God^ and ycur Godl

Slull you not there enjoy them long e-

nough ! Can you fo much mifs them for

one day, that muft live with them to ail

Eternity ? And is not Eternity long e-

nough for you to enjoy your Friends in ?

Obj. Bnt 1 do not knew whether ever 1 fijall there have any difiinQ knowledge of them, or leve to them, and whether God fhall not there be fo far All in-All^ as thzt we fhall need or fetch no comfort from the Creature

j4nfa. There is no reafon for either of thefc doubts. For, 1. You cannot juftly think that the knowk. ge of the Glorified fha'i I e more confutca or imperfedl of natural Mdn on Earth. Wefhal Know muchmore^ but not fo much lef{. H*aycn execedeth Earth in knQwlcdge, ih in joy.

2. The Angel, in Heaven have now a diftinft particular knowledge of the kail Believers ^ rcjoycingparticularly in their

converlion,

e^nvcirfion, and being called by ChriR hifrifelf [Their Angels7\ Therefore wn^H We fhall be equal to the /. certainly know our neareft Friends thai) there dwell with u?, and arc empIoyejH in the fatne attendance.

3. Abraham knew the Rich

Hell, and the Man knew Abraham and \ t Lazarus : Therefore we (hall have as di-ftinct a Knowledge.

4. The two Dilciples knew Mjcs and-Elias in the Mount, whom they had neJH

ieei before: Though it is poffibl§ffl Chrift told them who they were, vera! there is no fuch thing 'cxpreffed: Anfl therefore it is as probable that they knevM them by the Communication of their ir-^l radiating glory. Much more fliail we bt : \ then illuminated to a clearer knowledge. 5,it ; isiaid exprefly, 1 Cor. 13. 10,1 1, 12. That our prefent kpoxvledge Jl).:ll be 1 \ done away only in regard of its imper- \ feciion ; and not of it felf, which frail be perfected : [jrhen that which is perfeii is come, then that which is in part foall done away:^] As we put away childijh thoughts and Jpeeches, when we become men: The change will be froai [feei in aglafs~] to \^mng face to f;>cf\ and

from

Jlrora [knowing in parti to^knowing even at \vpe are kpown.~}

2. And that we (hall both Know, and \Love and re\oyce in creatures even in Hea-Iven, notvvithftandiBg that God is all in [all, apeareth farther thus.

1. Chriji in his glorified humanity is a Creature: and yet there is no doubt but all his members will there Know and Love him in his glorified humanity, without any derogation from the glory of the Deity.

2. The Body of Cbrifi will continue its unity, and every member will be fo nearly related, even in Heaven, tharthey cannot choofe but Know and Love each other. Shall we be ignorant of the members of our Body ? and not be concerned in their' felicity, wkh whom wcare fo nearly one ?

3. The ftate and felicity of the Church hereafter, is frequently defcribed in Set iptute as confident in Society. It is a Kingdom, the City of God, the Heavenly jcriifulem : and it is mentioned a ; part of ourhappinefs to be of that/?c#*fy, Hcb. 1 2,22,23,24, S'c.

4. The Saints arc called Kings them-felvei: and it isfaiJ th t they (hall jnlge

E the

the world, and the jingth (And Judging in Scripture is frequently put for Gcztr* ***£ ^Therefore, (whether fhercwill he another world of mortals which they (half Govern as Angles now Govern tnen\ or whether the Mifery of damned men and Angels will partly confifl: in as bafea full je&ion to the glorified Saint?, as Dogs now have to mentor wicked reprobates on Earth to Angles; or whether in refteft of both thefe together, the Saints fhall then be Kings, and Rule and Judge ; or whether it be only the participation of the Glory of Chrift, that iscalled a Kingdom, I will not here determine, but) it is moft clear that they will have a diftindt pmi* cular Knowledge of the world, which they themfelres muft judge; and fome concern, mentinthat work.

5. It is put into the defcription of the Happneisofthe Saints, that they (hall come from the Eaft, and from the

Weft, and (hal! fit down with Ahr jfaac^ and Jacobs in the Kingdom of God. Therefore they (hill know them, and take fome comfort in their prefep.ee.

6. Love (even to the Saints as weil ?.s unto God) is one of the graces that (hall endure for ever, 1 Cor. 13. It-is ex-

ercifed

with God in folitude. 7 5 Icrcifed upon an Imm/nd obj : a#(the Image, and Children of the Mod High) and . therefore muft be one of the Immortal Graces. For Grace in the Nature of it ;h not: and therefore if the Object ce^fc not,, how (houki the Grace ceafe, U'nlefs vou will call k's perfecting a cea*

It ts a fkate too high for fuch as we,

; for any racer Creature to

five fp Immediately and only HponGedy as

have no ufe tor any !d cv Creature^

\ can make

ufe ol'GIor. r«, in fuch fub-

y and fubor< to hiiiifclf,

hall be n ation to his All-iuffi-

icysf Honour, nor to our glairy and

.n eying

even fuch a Heaven it £qlf, as is above

of a Creature 5 as fom? very

\ cone, that

lb we tliall Immediately feeGodsEffct.ee

s G'/ery being iich is provided

'is di-; not every ere a. his Efence M) And asthefe that tell usbccaufc that God will be j in All, therefore we fh*!) the; b x

cfourcomfoitby a

flefli and blood Jhall not enter into that Ring* dom y but our Bodies will then be Spiritual Bodies \ yet will they be really the Tame as now, and diftinft from our Souls \ and therefore muft have a felicity tunable-to a Body glorified: And if the foul did* immediately fee GodHt Effcnce, yet as no reaion can conclude that it c?n fee noshing tlfe, or that it can fee even Created Good, and not Love it, fo the "Body however muft have objefts and felicity fit for a Body.

Obj. But it is [aid, If we knew Chrifi after the fiejJj, henceforth know we him no more.

Anfw. No doubt but all the carnality in Principles, matter, manner and ends of our knowledge will then ceafe a* it's im-perfeftion: But that a carnal knowledge be turned into a fpiritnal y 4s no more a diminution to it, than it is to rhe glory of our Bodies, to be iriade like the ftars in the Firmament of our Father.

Obj. But then Jjhafl have no more comfort in my prejart friends than in atty c*> thcr.

jinfw. x. If you had nfenc in them, it is no diminution to our happinefs, if indeed wc fliould have all in God immediately

wttf) uoci w join it ae . ately and alone. 2. But if you have as much in others that you never knew before, that will not diminifh any of your co fort in your antient Friends. 3. But it is moft prob?ble to us, that as there is 0 old ObjecJ for our love in the ned Saints^ one is their Holinefs y and the other is the Relation which they flood in between God and u?, being made his inftruments for our con-ycriion and ialvation, fo that we (hall love Saints in Heaven in both refpects : And in the fi-ft refpeft ( which is the chiefeft) we thall love thofe moft: that have moft of God, and the greateft Glory (though fuch as we never knew on Earth.) And in chefecond refpedr, we (ha 1 } love thofe raoft that were employed by God for our greateft good.

And tha: we (hall not there lay by fo

much refpeft to our Jclves, ss to forget

or difregardour Benefactors, is manifeft,

1. In that we fhall forever remember

Chrifiy and love him, and praife him, as

one that formerly Redeemed its, and irajlj-

l is Blocd, and h.v.h made Hi

(Is to God: And there-

alio in JhJI fubordination+0

Chrijfy remember them mth Love and

E 3 Jhahk:

J 8 Of Converging

Thankjttlnefs, that were hi* Iiifi'r fat the Collation of thefe benefits.

2. And this kind of Self-love (to be fcnfible of Good and Evil to ourielves) ne of the finful or imperfect felfiflrt nefsto be renounced or laid by, but part of our very Nature', and as infepara-blefrornu^ as we arc from our felves.

:K more, were it not digreil'v.% might be laid on this. fubjeft ; but I fhall only add, that as" Cod doth diaw\* us to every hoi/ Duty, by (hewingus tr,c excellency of that duty " 7 snd as perpe-m'ty is not the fmalleft excellency ; to he hath purpofely mentioned that Love en - \ dwtth for ever (when he had defcribed the Love of one another} as a principle motive to kindle and e^cre^fe this Love. And therefore thofe thac think they fhall have no ptrfonal Knowledge of one another, nor perfoaal Love to one another (for we cannot L«ve perfon 1 ! 7, if wc fyow not perfpnallV) do take a mod effectual courfe todeftrpyin their fouh'ail ho-

ecial Love to Saiat's,by ca! that prii c'p l <v very great motive them by the Holy Ghoft, la rot b!e to Lqve mii'h wh-rc I fjekriov t (hall not Love long. I cannot Love a

comely

:!v Inn, fo well as a nearer dwelling ; of y own,becaufe I muft be gone to mor-Therefore muft I love my Bible better than my Lawbooks or Phyfickbooks, I&c. Becaufe it !ea: } cth to Eternity. And therefore I muft Love Holinefsin myfelfand others, better than meat and drirk, and wealth, and honour,and beauty and plealure ; bec tiit'e it muft be Loved forever, when the Love of thefc muft needs be tranfitory, as they are tran -fitory. I muft profefs from the very experience cf my foul, that it is the belief that I (lull Love my friends in Heaven, that principally kindleth my Love to* them on Earth: And if I thought I (hould n vcr know them after death, andconfe-qucntly never love them more, when this life is ended, I fhould inreaibn number them with temporal things and Love lh*m comparatively but a little-, even as I Love oher tranfitory things fallowing for the excellency in the nati reof Grace) But now I converfe with ibme delight

:h my G^dly friends, as believing I B)l rcrfe wich them for ever, and

± comfort in the very Dead and Ah-fent, as believing we (hall fhortly meet in Heaven : And I Love them, I hope, with

a

So Of Converging

a Love that is of a Heavenly Natnre$\

while I Love them as the Heirs of Heaven ^.

with a Love which I expeft fliall there be*;

perfected, and more fully and for ever cx-^

ercifed,

12; The Iaft Reafon that I give youJ to move you to bear the Lop or jibfence of your friends, is, that it gives you the loudeft call to retire from the world, and to converfe with God himfelf, and to long for Heaven, where you fliall be fcpera-ted from your friends no more. And your forfaken ftate will fomewhat aflTift you to that folitary .converfe with God, which it calls you to: But this brings us up to the third part of the Text.

AJV Dyet I am not alone , becanfe the Father iswithme.~] Doft. When all for fake us and leave US (astothe*n) alone, we are far from being Jintply alone y becaufe God is with us.

He is not without company, that is with the King, though twenty others have turned him off. H: is not without Light that h rth the fhiningSun, though all his Candles be put out. If God be cur God, he isour-All, and is enough for

us:

us: And if he be oar All, we fhall not mucii find the want of creatures while he is with us.

For I. He is with us, who is Everywhere, and therefore is never from us; and knoweth all the ways and projc&s of our enemies; being with them in wrath y as he is with us in mercy*

2. He is with us who is Almighty, Efficient to preferve us, conquerable by none ? and therefore while he is with us, we need not/W what man can do unto us: For they can do nothingbut what he will: Nj danger, no licknefs, no trouble or want can be fo great as to make it any difficulty to God to deliver us when and how he pleafe.

3. He is with us who is Infinitely wife, and therefore we need not fear the ibbtil-ty of enemies *, nor fhall any of his undertaken works for his Church or us, mif-carry for want of foFefight, or through any ovcrfighc. We (hall be prtferved even from our own Folly, as wefl as from our Enemies lubtilty: For it is not our own wifdome that our greatcft concern-

ptin ipally reft upon, nor that our fafety and peace \xc chiefly f^cured by ; but it is the Wifdomc of our great

Prefcrver.

Preierver. He knowcth what to do with \ us, artd what Paths to lead us in, and what is beft for us in all conditions: And he hath proimfed to Teach us, and will be our fure infallible Guide.

4. He is with us who is Infinitely Good, and thercfoieisonly fit to be a continual delight and latisfaftian to our fouls: That hath nothing in him to dilaffeft us, or difcourage us: whom we may love without fear of over-loving-, and need notfet any bounds to our Love, the Object of it bring infinite.

5. He is with us, who is mod nearly related to us,and raoft dearly loveth us-, and therefore will never be wan ting to us in any thing that is fit for us to have. This is he that is with us 7 when all have left u<, and as to Man we are alone; and therefore we may well fay that we are not alone. Of this I {hall fay more anon in the application.

Qacfo. But how is he with its ? Anfw. 1. He is with us not only in his Effential frefence> as he is every where, bu: as by his Gracious Fatherly prefer.ee : We are in his Family , attending on him : .Even as the Eye of a Servant is to the hand of his Matter: We are always with him 7 .and

(as

!

(as he phraieih i: himictf in the Parable) Lake 15. all that he bath tnour$, that is, bat is fie to be communicated to us, and all the Provifions of his bounty for his Children. When we avtake^ we (hould be ftiil with him : When we go abroad we fhould be always a i\im : Our life

and works (hould be a Walkjng with Cod. 2. He is always with us efficiently to do Utg/md\ Though we have none die that caretb for us, yet will he never cad us out of his care, bur biddeth us caft our care on him, a -ng that he will care for

hs. Though we have none elfe to provide for us, he is always with us, and our Father knoweth what we want, and will the beft provifion for us, Mat. 6.32, 3 3. Though we h elfe to defend

us agwiofi the : Enemies, he

our lure defence 1 II j is the R-> e fly, and up-

on which we a bnilt. He gather-

ed Ubto himlclhs the Men gathereth her Chickens umler her Wir.gs,Afor. 2.37,3. And lure while Love is thus protecting us, IV rtiaiy well lay that the Father himfelfis mk Though in 'all our \ no other to Lu , yet hqis ftill

with us to perform his prpmiic, that no

e% r\nr\

good thing (hall be wanting to them that fear him. Though we may have none elfc to ftrengthen and help us, and fupport us in out weaknefs, yet he is alway§ with \ us, whofe Grace is fufficient for u-, to manifeft his ftrength in weaknefs. Though we have no other to teach us, and to re-folve our doubts, yet he is with us that is our chicfeft Matter, and hath taken us to be his Difciples, and will be our Light and Guide, and will lead us into the Truth. Though we have none elfc to be our Comforters, in our agony, darknefs ordi-ftreis-, but all forfake u?, or are taken from us, and we are expofed as Hagar with ljhmael in a Wildernefs; yet ftill the Father of all confolations is with bi \ his Spirit who is the Comforter is in us: And he that fo often fpea^eth the words of Comfort to us in his Gofpel, aid faith, XJBe of good chear \ let r>bt your he Arts be troubled, neither be afraid, &cr\ will fprak them fin the feafon and meafure which is fitteft for them J unto our hearts. Though all Friends turn Enemic?, and would de-ftroyus, or turn falie Accufers,^s Job's Friends, in their ignorance or pifron •, though all of them fhould add affliction to our aflBi&ion, yet is our Redeemer and

Juftifier

with God in fditude. 8f

Juftifier ftill with ns 0 and will lay his retraining hand upon our Enc^ie?, and iay to their prou- eft fury ^Hitherto and no further lhall thou go] He issngry with Job's accufing Friends, notwithstanding their friendfhip and gcod meaning, and though they feerrecl to plead for God and Godlincls againft JoV s fin ; Ar.d who flifill be again ft us while God isfcr ns ? who flsall condemn hs when it is he thatjujli-fieth ns} Though we be put to fay as David,P(&\* 142.4. [I looked on my rig hand and beheld, but there was no mkin that would know me ; reft: mam

cared for my Soul:'] Ye: we may iky Ith him, re f 5. and-, [Icryed unto thee, O Lord' y I fatd, Thon art.my re and my Portion in the laird of the Living: Br oul out of Vrifon that 1 way

praifc thy Name : 'The Ri all com-

pafs me <\b'nt : tor then ]halt deal bci jttlly with me: 2,3. Iv my com-

plaint before him ; J (IjeWed before him my troit le: When my Spirit was ( >icd

within me, ti ineweft my Path: la

way wherein I walked hkve ti. ly laid a Sxart for me. ~| Thus \jOc refuse nd firength \ a very pr ip in

trouble^ Pial.no. 1. Therefore jhould we

r ■'

Of Coavcrfwg Fear though i ., remove,

a'ld ; Adomtains were carried into]

the mi iji of the Sea } th Watertm

thereof roar and be troubled ^ ore. verf.il 2. 3. Though as David faith, Pfal. 41. | Sj 6, 7. £/*<////£ Enemies fpea\ Evil of ^ xne : When fl)all he aye, and his name perifo'i And if he come to fee me, he fpeaketh vanity : His Heart gathereth Iniquity to it ftlf\ when he goeth abroad be teileth it: All that hate me whifper Together againfi me : nfl me do they dcvife my hurt : An evil Difzafe, fay they y cleaveth faft unto him; and now that he lyeth y he fy.ill rife Hp no more : Tta y my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, that did eat of my Bread,

hath lift up his heel againfi me ] Yet

we may add a; he, v* 12. \_Av.d as for me, thou Hpholdefi me in mine integrity, and fettcfi me before thy face forever.'] Though .fas Pf*h 35. 7j C^c Without canfe they have hid for me their Net in a Pit, which Without canfe they have digged for my Soul : 1 1/ AnX falfc Witneffes did rife iip } they laii to my charge things that I knew not j they rewarded me evil for gocd: 1 5, i6» In mj adver/ity they rejoyced, and gather* ed themfelves together; the objects gathered themfelves together againfi me } and I knew

I it not • they did tear and ceafed not', with I hypocritical mockers in Feafis, they gn u flitd I upon we with their teeth : 20. For .hty fpcalr^ I not peace, bnt they dtiife deceitful matters I againji them that Are quiet in the L#ndr\

Yet verfe 9. \_My Soul flmll be ]oful I the Lord', it fliallriy,yce in his S.iliaiion : 1 0. All my Bones flsull fay, I , .0 is

I like unto thee, who deliverefl the poor from him that is too Jhong for him y yea 'he poor and the needy from him that fyoilmb him.~\ Though Friends be far oCr, the Lord is nigh to them that are of a. broken heart, and faveth fnch MS be of a contr 11 e Sp i are the Afflictions of the Ri^isteov.s • huh the Lord delivereth him cm of t :em a!! t ~] Pfel. 3+. 18, 19. The Lsrd red, Sonl of his Servants; and none of than thst rrufl in him fi*lt bedefoiate.~] v. 22. Therefore [/ will be gfkHymd rejyce in his Mercy, for he hathconfideredmy trtu ble, and hath known (ar.d owned ^ my Sid in adverfuy : and hath not flint me in the htndof the Enemy. — When n>y life was [pent with grief, and my years with frgh-ing\ my ftrtvgth f tiled becaufc of mint iniquity, and my Tlvics were cor.fumed ; / was a reproach among all mine Enemies, bnt efpecially among my Neighbours, and

a fear to mine Acquaintance \ they that did fee me without fled fom me : I was ; forgot i ck. } and as a dtadmanout of mind: I was like a irol^n Vefjel ; / heard the /lander of many : fear was on every fide ; while the) too^counfel together again ft me^ they devifed to take aw.^y my life: But I trlifted in the-:, O Lord: I [aid, Thou art my God: my times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand ofmine enemies , and from them that perfecute me: Make thy face to flnne upon thy Servant: Save me for thy mercies fake. -— O how great is thy gcotinefs which thou haft laid up for them that fear thee, which than haft wrought for them thxt truft in thee before the Sons of Men ! Thou fa alt hide them in the fe-cret of thy pre fence from the Pride of Man: Thou (halt keep them fecretly in a pavilion from theftrife of Tongues, Pi'al. 3 i.J Thus God is with us when raen are fat from !jS : or p.gainft us: His people find by haj/py experience, that they are not alone. Bccaufc he 1$ nigh them, evil frail not come nigh them, unlefs as it worketh for their good. He is their hiding place to pre-ferve them from trouble : the great water-floods faatl not come nigh them: he will compafs them about with Songs of deliverance.'] Hal. 32. 6j 7. 3. And

with God in folitude. S9 And as Cod i , and Ejjit<er;t for our holy convene. VVheuver our Friends are, God is ftili at hand to be the mod profitable, honourable Lnd delightful O';-je£fc of our tl \q\ ghts. here is enough in him to tak<? up.all the f-u ul-ties of my fool. He that U but in a well fbrnifhed Library, may find great and excellent employment for his Thoughts many years together : And fo may he that liveth in the open World, and hath all the vifible Works of G< d r o meditate upon : But all this were nothing, if God were not \\izfenfe of Booh ar.d Ctta and the matter of all thefc noble Studies : He that is alone, a only God himfclf to ftudy, hath the matter and fenfe of all the Books a ;ures in the World, to einpl " his thoi upon. He neve nc< d to want matter for his meditation, that hath Gc i.'tate on. He need not want matter of Dif-■ (whether mental or vocal) that of, though he have n m the name ol any other Friend to mention. All our 5 fife Sic c in

nt work. The Soul of Man cannot have a 1

fweet

fvvect and excellent v?ork than to lov^ him: He wanteth neither work nor pleafu v e, that in his folitude is ta- en up in the believing contemplations of Eternal Love, and of all his blefled Attributes'. and Works, O then what happy anqj delightful converfe may a Bciitver have w T ith Gol\ alone! He is always prefenr, and J ways at leifure to he fpoken with ; and always willing of our accefs and audience: He hath no ifitereftCrofi to oir felicity, which (Kould move himto reject us fas worldly great ones often have ) He never mifur«derftand?th u? 5 nor chargeth that upon us whkh we were never gu ly of": If we converfe with Men, iheir Mj}*<k:s, and Inttrtfts^ and PaffumS) and I fujficiencies, do make the trouble lb gre t, and the benefit fofmall, that many have become thereby aweary of the Wcrl \ or of human Society, and have fpent the icft of their days alone in d fert p!ac:s. Indeed, fo much of God as appears in Men, fo much is their ctiftyerfc excellent and delightful*, and theirs is the heft that have molt of God. But there i< fo nuuh of vanitv, and felf, anH flefh, and fin in the raoft or alj^f of us, as very much dari-tneth our Light,

and

ft*

with God in folk tide. 91 and dampcth the pleafure, >eih

the fruit of our Societies and Con O how oft have 1 been folaceci in God, when I found nothing but decei:

nek in the \Ycr!d ! How oir he comforted me, when it was paft the power of Man! How oft hah he relieved :nd delivered rat, v.hen ail the help of IVlan was vain! It h-th been my Stay and Reft, to look to him, when the Creature hath been a broken Staff, and deceitful Friends have been but as a bioken Tcoth, or a Foot that is ou: of Joint (as Solomon fpeaketh o> onfi ence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble, Prov. 25 20.) Verily, as the \Vor?d were but an horrid Dungeon wi.hout the-Sun, lb it were a howling wildermC, a place of no confiderabl Employment or Delight, were it riot fhat in it we may

to God and do him Service, and fomctiire be refrefhed vn i:h the light cf h?s countenance, an J thecon mi nil ati-ons of his 1 oe. Bl t of this more anon.

Vfe i\TI7 f'eour Example^&r.d our

VV £ ments. Let usnoW

W&Uowcr* *fC four to imitate

n this, and to Live 1 \ when

met

neuhrfakc «,, and f0 koow that wf]ife ; i-odumthns, we are n,t alone, nor in. iM< en wh ' ,e h e forfakes us not.

wfc 1 ' H^Y 0 " here Negatively. what you muft not do. 2. /#£*«*$ what you muft do; for the performance or your duty in this imitation of Chrift. ■ • You mud not make this anv pj ctence tor the undervaluing of your ufeful friends ; nor for your unthankfulnefs for

1 8 l Cat 3 B , enefit as a Godf V friend : nor forthencglea of y our Duty in improving the Company and helpof Friends-Two is better then one, The cammuni.

3£ ??Vr n ? heI P of tho * th ^ are' wife and faithful, is a mercy highly to be

cfteemed And the undervaluing of it, is at lead a fign of a declining Soul.

2. You muft ndt hence fetch any pretence to flight your Friends, and difoh-J'ge them, or neglect any duty that- you owe them, or any means therein neceffary to the continuation of their Fnendfl.ip.

3. You muft not caufelefly withdraw trom humane fociety into Solitude. A weanneU ofconverfe with-Men, is oft conjundt with a wearincfs of our Duty: And a retiring voluntarily into Sofitudfc when God doth not call or drive us If

thcr 3

with Gcd in folitnde. 9 J |ther, is oft but a retiring from the p! ce and work which God hath appointed us: And confequcntly a retiring rather from j God, than to God. Like fome idle Servants, that think they fhould not work fo hard^ becaufe it is but Worldly hnfimfs^ and think their M ! not Religi-

oufly by them, unlcfi they let them neg-lctt their labour, jhat they m:,y fpend more time in ferving God : as if it were no ferving Cod to be faithful in their Matters Service.

1 deny not but very holy perfons have lived in a ftate of rer , humane convcrfr : In fuchcafei astheie it may become a Duty, J. In cafe of Inch perfecution as at prefent leaveth us no opportunity of ferving or honouring God fo much in any other place or ftate.

2 In cafe that natural infirmity , or dif-abiliry, or any other accident (hall nakc one !efs Serviceable to God and his Church i than he is in fol^

In cafe he hath committed a fin fo heinous and of indelible fcandal and reproach, as that it i not fit f< r the Servants of Chrift any more to receive him into their local Communion, though he

Communion^ I thir,k> fuch a cafe may be.) 4. In

4. In cafe a man through cuftom and ill company he fo to f >me fleffily Luft, as that he is not able to bear thl temptations th pit arc fi * wd 1 con* ftrfe'y hue fa'deth by theminro .".c : hehojb finning : l.i this caie the right tpnd or eye is rruherto b? with, than their Salvai ion. An J though ameer reftraint by diftanci of temptations and 'opportunicic.- of finning, will not prove a

man I, nor five the foul

loveth rhe fin and fain would live ii \t\ Y.t, j. Grace mav iomctime appear in the ftrciigth. and iclf denyal w- ich i, e^ crcifed in the very avoiding 0 ons, when yet pc epe.f ;i

not ftrength enough to h:ve ftood againft thetc

And 2 Thediflance of temptations, &o,v portuniry of feriousano frequent pdtaftJe-ration, may be a m'caa t) he*p to (ince-ri;y th t want "tz>

5. b\ cafe a man by a*c or ficknefs find himfelf io near tc s that he hath now a w.orej aftor his frefent tftn i totndca-

any more the good of others\ and find vvithall, that [oiitnde will help him preparations^ his Society being fuch as

would

n cr him. In thefe/?:,v ca-tbpfoie it lawful to retire from i

folitudt.

But when there is no fuch neceGity or call, it bfually prcceedcih from one of thefe vicious difternpers: I. From Co-dizc and fear cf fufife Ihe

s of Chrifc do hi he&ds,

f confeffing him en.

2. From a- laziflefs 1 nd vea-

fsofdut; 'c

Servants hide their taktits, re. nding ear of the L.-rd.

from our work, then : : and to go out of the re ch of ig-, contradittion and un« C4H-9«c* r Truth and Holy lives. So

s we co?.vr.ifj with, to h-m w« owe forte ' this is n to

• k, and :o hide our ielvcs in f or Cell// c?s

:ing the ■ \ e L rd. 3.

O: it may prtc?c 1 r m ncc* impatience : D3t hcai n, and

odly, they e i gs, which by patience they Ihould overcome. 4. Or it may

come .

go uf convey\wg

come frc and mutability of mind,

and ribs condition

Ma v i nc converfe to

pleaie a< xtd paffionate mird j on

expeair. ; privacy, which in;

public k rhey cr>ul ! not find, npr is any where to be found on Eirch. 5. And ibme do it in Melancholy, mcerly to pleafe a fick imagination^ wh exed \\

company, and a lii [< afeth it felf in living as the pofftffed ong the Tombs. 6. And iomtimes it proceed) eth from felf ignorance^ and an unhnwbled (late of a Soul : When men think much better of th.mfelves thin others, they think they can more comfortably converfe with themfelvts than with others : Where-, as if they well underftuod that they are the vporji oxgreattjl enemies, or troubles to themfelves, they would more fear their own Company than ether mens: The-/ would then c mfider what prou', and flefhly, IhcI worU'lv, ani fclfiib, and d.forccrcd heart they are like to tarry with them into their faljtude, and there to be annoyed with from day to day : And that the nearefl enemy is the worft, and the nemtft, trouble is the great-eft.

Thcfe

Thefc vices or infirmities carry many into folitudc •, and if they live where Po-pi>Ti vanity may feduce them, they will perhaps imagine, that they are ferving God 9 and entring in perfection, when they are but fitfully obeying their corrup-tio s : and that they are advanced above others in degrees of grace, while they are pleating a difcafed fancy, and cutting into a dangerous courfe of fin. No doubt but the duties of a publick life are more in number, and greater in weight, and of more excellent confequence and tendency (even to the mod publick good, and greateft honour of God J than the duties cf privacy or retirement. Vir bonus eft commune bor.um : A good rrun is a common good And ^fr.ith Ser;eca)NuBa ejjent tomrminia ntfi pars illorum ptrtineret ad fajr] It every one have not fome (hare cr i .'creft ia them, hr>w are the common ? Let me add thefe few Con' d^ ons, to (hew yon the evil of voluntary unnecessary Solitude.

1. You klb contribute to the honour of you> Redeemer, and left promote h»^ Kingdom in the world> and lefs libfnve his death and office, while*you do good but to lew, and live but almofl toyourfei

F 2. You

2. You live in the poorcft exercife of the grace of Chanty ; and therefore in a low undcfirable condition.

3. You ,wi!l want the communion of Siints, and benefit of publick ordinances (for I account not zColledge life a Solitary life.) And you will want the help of the Charity, Graces and Gifts of others, by which you might be benefited.

4. It will be a life offmaller comfort, as it is a life of fmalier benefit to others. They that do but little good (according to their ability) rouft expeft but little comfort. They haveufualiy moft peace and comfort to thcmfelves, that are the moft profitable to others. {Non potefl quif-quam bene degere qui fe ttntum intuetnr : Alteri vivas oportet,fi tihi vis vlvere .'Sen .3 jVo man can live well, that Uoketh but to himjelf: Thou mnft live to another^ if thou wilt live to thy [elf7\

O the delight that there is in doing good to many ! None knoweth it that hath not tryed it: Not upon any account of Merit ; but as it tleaftth God, and as Goodnefsit p/f is amiable and fvveet; and aswtri-ceive by commnnicating ; and as we are un~ der prornift } and as Charity makes all the good that*s done to another to be to us as w ownl 5, We

5. Wearcdarkand partial, an v !hced-lefs of our fclves, rnd hardly brought oc kept in acquaintance with our hearts; and therefore have the more need of the eye of others : A nd even an enemies eye raiy be ufeful, though maicious; and may do us good while he intends us evil, faith Bernard [Allium quod nemo vide? nemo argmt: Vbi ant em non timetur repre-henfor, feenms accedit tenater? licentiu* perpetratur iniqaitas} \The evil that none, fee /;, none reproveth: and where the reprover is net feared, the temper ccmeth moit boldly,and the fin is committed the more licemioHfly.2 It's hard to know thefpota in our own face!-, when we haveno^/.i/i or beholder to accqo.int us with them* Salth Chryfujlm [Solitude is velameit cm^imi z^torHniyhQ cover of all vices 3 In company this cover is laid afide, and vice being more naked, is more ajhamed- It is beholders that cauiejtaw • which Soli* tude is not acquainted with: And it's a piece oiimpenitency rot to be framed o} r

6. And we are for the moll pan id and fickiy. that we are unable /o

lubfift without the help of others. Sen.

Nemo eft ex imprudembns qui relinqni fibi

debet] wmijemen (or infants, or fick-Iikc

f 2 men

men) muft not be left to themftlves.~] And Cod hath let fonic impoiency,iniiiffiden< y andnectffi v upon all that (howd keep men iociaLle, & make them acknowledge their need of others, and be thankful for afliftance from them, and be ready to do good to others, as we would have others do to us. He th&tfeeleth not the needof others, is fo unhumbled as to have the greater need oitheni.

7. Pride will have great advantage in private, and Repentance great difadvantage, while our fins fecm to be alldead,be-caufc there is not a temptation to draw them out, or an obferver to reprove t hem. {Tfim din pattern quifqttefibi videt ur & burnt is, donfc nulliushominum conjortio fommifcetH/ ; ad naturam priftinam rever-fur us qwsm interpellaverit cujuftbet occafio-wis commotio, inquit Caftiamii] Many a man feems to himjelf patient and humble^ yphile he keeps out of company} who would return to his own nature if the commotion of any occafion did but provoke him'] It's hard to know what/w ox grace is in us, if we liavc notfuch tryals as are not to be found in Solitude.

8. Flying from the obfewtion and

judgment

with God in folitude. ioi Judgment of others, is a kind of felf-ac-cafation ; as if we confeft our felves fo bad as that we cannot ftand the tryal of the Light.] Bonaconfcientiaturbam advo* cat: Mdain folitndine anxiaeft & folli-cita : (i honeftajunt que fact* omnesfciant ; fiturpia^ quid refennemintm fcire : cum tn fcias ! O te mifemm ft contemnis hue tejltm: inqtiit Seneca^] That is [ A good confeience will call in the croud (or witnef-fes, not caring who fecth ;) A bad conference is anxious and follicitous even in foil* tftde: If they be thing* honeft which thott doe ft > let all men know : If the be dijhoneft, what good doth it thee that no man elft tyoweth it, whenthotikrioweftitthyfelf\ O miferable man if thou difpife this vpitnefs /] Something is fufpe&ed to be amif* with thofe that are always*in their Chambers, and are never fcen. Tell not men that you cannot bear the light: It is he that doethevil that hateth the light, left his deeds fhould be reproved.

. S-'litudc is too like to T)eath y to be dt-firable: He liveth that doth good •, and he is deadthlX Kufelefs, \_Vtvit is qui multisufni eft: Vivit is qn\ fentitur: qui veto lati-tant dh torpent, mortem [nam antece(ferint y inqmt Sen t "\[^He liveth that is profitable to

F 3 many

many: He livsth that is olferz'ed or perceived : but they that lye hid And drew fie do t anticipate their death f] And it is the m#ft culpable death, and therefore thr \ to have Life, and not to nfe it.

I o. A life of holy Communion is likeft unto 'Heavex, where none (hall befolitary, bat ail as members of the Heavenh falem, fhall in harmony Love anci their Maker.

ThefeReafons fcem tome fufficient to Tatifie you that no man (hould choofe a Soli* tude without.a Jpecial mceffity or call: nor yet fhould it be taken for a life of greater perfection, then a faithful ferving of God in publicly, and doing gcodto more.

I Shall now come to the Affirmative^ and tell yo a for all this, that \If God call us into Solitude^ or men for fake ns, we may rejoice in this, that we are not alone y bat the Father is with hs7\ Fear not fuch Sohtah y but be ready to improve it, if you b: Ciftupon t. If God be your God, re n lied to you in Chrift, and his Spirit be in you, you are provided for Solitude, and need not fear if all the World (hould caft you off. If you be ban idled,

imprifoncd

^rifoned, or left alone, it is but a Relaxation from your greateft labour? • which though you may notcaft off your fclvcs, you may lawfully be fenfible of yo.jr eafc, if God take off your Burden. It is but a c§0ation from your fharpeft

flicis, and removal from a multitude of g\at Temptations. And though you may not covatdly retreat or (hift your felvcs from the Fight and danger, yet if God will diipenfe with you, and let you live in greater pe^ce andfafety, you have no caufe to murmur at his dealing. A Fruit Tree thatgroweth by the high-way fide, doth fcldota keep its fruit to ripenefs, while fa many Paflengers have each his ftone or Cudgel to caft at it: Seneca could fay ^Nanquam 4 turba mores quo* extkli refer0 : Aliqmdex to qv.od compofui

jatnr ; aliquid ex his qua finavi redit : lnimica eft mnltornm atid] I mver

faring home well from a Crowd the manners which I took^ out with me : Something it difoidered ofth.it which I had Jet in order:

r.ethinn of that which I had banified doth return : T,jc co^ie fttion of many 1 find an enemy to mef\ O how many vain and foo* lifh words corrupt the mirids of thofe that converie with an ungodly World, F 4 when

when your Ears and Minds who live ir Solitude, arc free from fuch Temptations ; You live not in fo corrupt an Air as they j You hear not the filthy nbbald Speeches, which fight againft modefty and chaftity, and are the bellows of Luft: You hear notthedifcontented complaining words of the impatient; nor the paflionate pro Poking words of the offended; nor the wrangling quarrelfom words of the con tentious; nor the cenforious, or fl.^nde-rous, or reproachful words of the malicious, who think it their intereftto have their Brethren taken to be bad, and to have others hate them, becaufe they them felves hate them-, and who are as zealous to quench the Charity of others, when it is deftroyed in themfelves, as holy perfons are zealous to provoke others to Love, which dweVcrh and ru'ech in themfelves. In your Solitude with God, you (hail not hear the Ives and malicious reviling* of the ungodly againft the generation of the j.ill: Nor the fuNtile cheating Words of Hercticks, who being themfelves -deceived, would deceive others of their Foith, and corrupr their lives. You (hall not there be diftraflcd with the noife and clamours of contending uncharitable pro-

feflbrs

feflbrs cf Religion, endeavouring to make odious firft the Opinions, and then the perfons of one another : one laying, here is the Church, and another, there is the Church : One laying, This is the true Church Government, and another faying Nay, but that is it; One faying, God will be worfhipped thus, and another, not fo, but thus or thus: You (hall not there be drawn tofie'e with one againft another, nor fo joyn with any fattion, or be guil-fcy of divifions: You (hall not be troubled with theCath* and Blafphemies of the wicked, nor with the imprudent miscarriages of the Weak} with thePerfecu-tions of Enemies, or the falling out of Friends. You fhall not fee the cruelty of proud OpprefTors, that fet up lyes by armed violence, and care not what they fay or do, nor how much other men are injured or fuffer, fo that themfelves may tyrannize, and their wills and words may rule the World, when they do fo unhappily rulethemfelvc?. In your folitude with God, you fhall not fee the profperi-ty of the wicked to move you to envy f nor thcadverlity ofthj jufl: to be your grief: You fhall fee no Worldly pomp and fplcndor to befool you ^ nor adorn-F 5 cd

cd beauty to entice you, nor wafting ca lamitics to afflidt you : You (hall not hear the laughter of Fools, nor the Tick mans groans, nor the wronged mans Complaints, nor the poor mans murmurings, nor the proud mans boaftings, nor the angry mans abufive ragings. As you lofe the help of your gracious friends, fo you are freed from the fruits of their pecvifh-Tiefs and paffions", of their differing opinion and ways and tempers; of their inequality, unfuitablenvfs, and contrariety of minds orinterefts-, of their levity and unconftancy, and the powerful temptations of their friendfhip, to draw you to the errors or other fins which they are tainted with themfelves. In a word, you are there half delivered from the VANITY and VEXATION of the world; and were it not that you are yet undelivered from your fclves, and that you take diftempered corrupted hearts with you, O what a felicity would your folitude be! But, alas, we cannot overrun our own difeafes, we rauft carry with us the remnants of our corrupted nature i our deadnefs, and dulnefs, our felfi-hnefs and earthly minds, our impati-| ence and difcontents^ and worft of all,

our

our lamentable wcaknefs of faith and love and heavenly mindednefs, and out ftrangenefs to God, and backwardnefs to the matters of eternal life. O that I could efcape thefe, though I were in the

~ds of the cruelleft enemies! O that fucha heart could be left behind ! How gladly would I overran both houfe, and Jand, and honour, and all fenfual delights, that 1 might but overrun it! O where is the place where there is none of this darknefs, nor difaffeftion, nor diftance, nor cftrangednefs from God ! Oth^tl

:;v it! O that I could find it! O that I might there dwell! though I fliould never more fee the fcce of mortals; nor e-ver hear a human Voice, nor ever tafte of the delights offlefh ! Alas, foolilh Soul: fuch a place therein, chat hath'all this, and more than this : But it isntot in a 'Wilderncfs,but in Paradife, not here on Earth, but above with Chrift ! And yet am I fo bath to d:c ? vet am I no more defirousof the bl fifed day, when I (hall 'be unclonhed of flc.Ti a ) dc;ath,

what an Enemy art thou even to my Soul/

affrighting me from the pt my

Lord, and hindring my dcfires and wif-liagncls to be gone, thou wronged me

much

much more, than by laying tny flefh to rot in darknefs. Fain I would know God, and fain I would more love him and enjoy him : But O this hurtful love of life! O this unreafonable fear of dying, detaineth my defires from prefling on to the happy place where all this may be had / O wretched man that I am, who fhall deli-ver me from this body of death! this carnal unbelieving heart, that fometime can think more delightfully of a Wildtrnefs then of Heaven \ that can go feek after God indefert folitude, among the Birds and Beafts and Trees, and yet is fo backward to be loofed from flefh that I may find him and enjoy him in the World of glory: Can I expeft that Heaven come down to Earth! and that the Lord of glory fhould remove his Court, and either leave the retinue of his Cekftial Courtiers, or bring them all down into this droffy World offleth and fin, and this to fatisfie my fleflily foolifh mind! Or can I cxpedi the tranflation of Henoch or the Chariot of Elias f Is it not enough that my Lord hath conquered Death, and fan&ifyed the paflage, and prepared the place^ of my perpetual abode. [Well! for all this, though a Wildermfs

is

is vet Heaven, it fhall be fweet and welcom for lYtfak* of Heaven, if ther.ee 1 may but have a clearer profpeft of it: and if by retiring from the crowd and noifc of Folly, I may but be more com-pofed and better difpofed to converiea-bove, and toufe my Faith (alas, my too weak languid Faith) until the beatifical Vifion and Fruition cone. If there maybe but more of God, or readier accets to him, or more heart quickning fkmes of Love, or more hem-comforting intimations of his Favour, in a wildernefs than in a City, in a Prilbn than in a Palace •, let that Wildernefs be my City, and let that Priibn be my Palace, white 1 muft abide on Earth. If in folitudc I may have Henochs walk with God, I fhall in due feafon have fuch a tranflati-on as (hall bring me to the fame felicity which he enjoyeth : And in the mean time as well as after, it U no incomrr.odity, if by mortal eyes 1 be feen no more. If the Chariot of contemplation will in folitude raife me to more believing affeftionate converfe with Heaven, than I could ex-ped in Tumult* and Ten ptatiors, it fhall reconcile me unto folitude, and make it my Paradifc on Earth, till Angels

inftead

no Of Converfing

inftead of the Chariot of BtidSj fliali convey me to the pretence of my glorified Head, i;i the Celeftial Paradifc.

Object. Bm it is grievous to one that hath been itfed to much company , to be alone.

Anj'w. Company may ib life you, that it may be more g ievous to you not to be a!one. The Society of Wafps and Serpents may be fpared j and Bees them-felvcs have iuch Stings as make fomethat; have felt them think'they bought the; hony dear.

But can you fay, you are alone ^ while .you are with God f Is his prefence % nothing to you? Doth icnot fignifie more than the company of all Men in the world ? Saith Hierom^ [Sapiens nmquam foists effe potej}: habet enim fecum oranes

quifunty & cjiiifHerant boni & fihomi-

num fit inofia y loquitur cum Deo] viz. A wife man cmnot be alone: for he hath with him the good men that are or have been

And if there be a want of men^ he

fyeakf with God.] 'He fhould rather have faid, There can be no want of man, when we may,fpea ! ^ with God: And were it not that God is here revealed to us as inagiafs, and that we do covcrfe with God in Man, we fhould think human converfe little worth, Objcft.

ech O but Solitude is difconfulau to a fociablc Mind*

Jnfa. But the mod deferable Society is no Solitude: Saith Hiercrx, [Infiiita eremivaftitas te ferret ? fed tit ^Paradifnm ftente dcambnU : Quotiefcunqne cooit^tiane yc mente illuc conjcende-i ( y totics in eremo non eris~] that is [_ Poth the infinite zafinefs of the vcildernefsterrif>e thee? But do thou (afcend) in mind and Vtalk^ in Paradife : jis oft as thou acendeft thither in thought ank mind y fo oft thou fliait not be t . wilder nefs.~^ If God be nothing to thee, thou art not a ChrifiUn but an Atheijt. If God he God to thee, he is A ] \ in all to. thee \ and then fhould not his prdence flcad of all? O that I might get one ftep nearer unto God, though I receded many from all the world! Othat I could find that p!acc o .where a Soul may ha oft accefs

unto him, and fulled knowledgc-and enjoyment of him. j more law the face of Friends! i (Viouid cheerfully iay i j

not alone\ for the l .;ithme.] And

I fhould fay fo for thefr U< >iiow-

ing.

I. If God be vpith mc 7 the Maker, and

Ruler,

Ruler , and Difaofer of all is with me : So that all things are virtually with me in him. I have that in Gold and Jewels which I fceffl to want in Silver, Lead, and Drofs, I can wsnt no Friend it God vouchfafe to be my Friend ^ and I can enjoy no benefit by all my Friends, if God be my Enemy. I need not fear the greated Enemies, if God be reconciled to me. I (hall not mifs the light of the. Candle, if I have this blcfled Sun. The Creature is nothing but what it is from God, and in God : And it is worth nothing, or good for nothing, bit what it's worth in order unto God, as it declarcth him, and helps the Soul to know him, fervehim, or draw nearer to him: As it is Idolatry in the unhappy worldling, to third aterthe Creature with the neglett of God, and fo to make the world his God ; fo doth it favour of the fame hainous fin to lament our lofs of Creatures more than thedifpleafure of God. If God be my Enemy, or I am fallen under his indignation, I have then fo much greater matters to lament than the lofs, or abfence, or frowns of Man, as fhould almoft make mc forget that there is fuch a thing as man to be regarded : But if God be my Father, and my Friend in

Chrifh

Cbrift, J have then lb much to think of with delight, and to recreate and content my Soul, is will proclaim it mod incongruous and abfurd to lament inordinately the abitnee of a worm, while I have hi- Love and Prefencewho is All in All. If God cannot content me, and be not enough for me, how is he then my God ? or how fball he be my Heaven an:! everl.ifting Happinefs?

2. If God be with me, he is with Hie to whom I am abiblutc'y devoted. f I am wholly hi<?, and have acknowledged his intereft in me, and longsgo dif-clairred all Ufurpers, and repented of Alienations, and unn fcrvedly rcfi,,neJ my fclfto him : And where (Ti< ul I dwell but with him that is my owner, and with whom I have made the fokmneft Covenant th?.t ever I made ? I never gave my ft If to any other, but in (uborUjna-tion tohim,and whhafa/vo foi his higheft invio a: le right. Where fhogld my go's be bit in my ownhoufc? With whooo lhou\a a fervam dwell but with hisMafter? rnd Wife, bur with her Husband ? ind Ch Idrcn but with their Father? I am ntarlicr related to my God and to my Sa-viour,than I am to any of my Relations in

this

this World. I owe more to him than toafkheW rid: I have renounced all the World, as hey (land in any competition or conparifon vvithhim*, aid cm I want their company then while I am with him? How fh:ll I hate Father and Mother, and Wife and Children, and Brother and Suler for his fdke, if I cannot fvare them, or be without them to enjoy him? To hate them is but to ufe them as Men do hated things, that is, to caft them away with contempt as they would alienate mc from Ghvift, and t£ cleave to him, and be fatisfied in him a-lone. I an now married to Chnft, and therefore mud chear fully leave Father and Mother, and ay native place, and all to cleave to him: And with who ri fhould I now delight to d well,but with him who hath fateen me into foncar relation, to be, as it were, one Flefli with him 1 O my dear Lord, hide not thouthy face from an unkiod an unworthy firmer ! Let me but ( well with thee and fee thy face, an 4 feel the s e bracements of thv

Love v an J then let roe be cart off by ail the woi Id, i fee it meeteft for me -,

or let a:! other friends be where they Will, fo that my Soul may be with thee:

I have

with God infolitude. 115 J have agreed for thy fake to forfake all, even the deaieft that fhall (land againft thee \ and I rclolve by thy grace to^ftand to this Agreement.

3. If God be vptth me, I am not alone % for he is with me that leveth me beft.~] The Love of all the Friends on Earth is nothing to his Lo<e. O how plainly hath he declared that he loveth me, in the ftrange condefcention, the Sufferngs, Death, ana Interceflion of his Son ? What Love hath he declared in the communication? of his Spirit, and the operations of his Grace, and the near Relations into which he brought me ? What Love h:th he declared in the com fe of his Pn vi cn-ces? In many and wonderful prefcrvcUi-ons anc deliverances ? In thecorduft of his Wiidom, and in a Li e of Mercies? What Love appcamh in his precious " PronJfes, and the g'o ious rrovifiors he hath mrde forme with himfclfto ali eternity ? O my L<».d, 1 am ail arrcd t u .at thy Love is lb mui I fofl \ :h. t it hath no better return from an unkind unthankful hem ; that I ara not more-delighted in thee, and fwaikwed up in the contemplation of thy Love \ I can contentedly let go the Society and converfe of all

others,

others, for the convene of fome 01 bofom Friend, that is dearer to metta they all, as Jonathan to David : An can I not much more be fatiaficd in the alone, and let go all if i m >y c>ntmu with thee? My very Dog will gUdl forfnke all the Town, and all Perforv i the world, to follow me alone! An have I not yet fomd fo much Lo/e am Goo. nefs in thee my dear and blefTec! God, as to be willing to converlc a!on<] with thee ? All men delight mod in thii company of thole that love them beft They choofe not to converfe with th Multitude when they look for folace an* content, but with chcir deareft Friends;' And fliould aftv be fo dj?r to me as God ? O were not thy Love unworthily neg* leftedb/ an un tankful heart, I Oiould never be fo unfatisfie-.i »n 'h?e, butfl\)u!d take up, or feek mv comforts in thee : I ftiould then fav, Whonhavc 1 in Heaven but thee, and there is no-ic on Earth that Ide^re >c fides rh^e! Though noti orly mv Fi iends, but my Fle»Ti an; Heart | themfelve, fh u'i fail me, it is thou that will ftiil be the ftrength of my heart, and my potion forev>r: it is good therefore for me to draw near to thee,

how

A

ow far focver I nm from Man: O let ic there dwell where thou wilt not be :range, for thy loving kindneis is better ban life, Inftead of the multitude of if turmoi'ing th ughts, let me be taken p in the bdicving views of thy recon-iled Face, and in the glad Attendance pon thy Grace •, or at leaft in the raul-ituce of my thoughts within me, let hy celeftial comforts delight my iouf. -et me dwell as in thy Family, and i,hen I awake, let me be (till with thee! ,et me go no whither but where I am ill following thee: Let me do nothing Hit thy v*ork, nor ferve any other but /hen I may truly call it alerving thee: ct me hear nothing but thy voice, and t me know thv voice by wharcver imminent thou fh k 'peak; Let me never :e a: y thing 1 uc rhv iclf and the glafs hat repreientcth thee., and the Bo<-k* in 1 which I may re*d thy Name: And :t me never play with rheoutvfidc, and <z on Wort's and Let ers as infignifi-ant, and not oHfrve 'h\ Name which . thefenfe. Whether it be in cor. pany r in folitude, ht mc b c mtinually with bee, androthou\o thiafc to hoi: me y my right hand ; And guide me with

thy

thy counfcl, and afterwaids receive rr unto thy Glorv, Pfol. 73- 2,3, 24,25,2< 28, Pfd. 63.3.

4. If God be with me I am not alone for / jhall be with him xvhofe Love is greater ufe and bentft to me, than the loi of all my Friends in the world. Their Lo\ may perhaps be forae little comfor as it floweth from His: But it ' His Love by which and upon whic 1 I Live. It U His Love that gives or Life and Time^ and e i/)$ and Fcol and Prefervation, that gives ire Bock? gi esme books and giveth me underftanc ing: that gi-eth me provifion, andfovcf me from turnip it to oernicious flefhl nefs and excels : that giveth me even m friends then f !v s, and iaveth me froi thatabulc v them torn

worietl un 3 the

the Air is not Jb uleful or needful to rac.1 his Love. The ! ove of all my frieni! cannor make me well when lam fick : ] cannot forgive the f nkWeft of my fins*, nc yet a-fTure me of Gods forgivenefs : ] cannot heal: ies of my foul, no

' give a folic! laftiAg peace to the confeiene which is troubled: If all my friends ftan< about me when lam dying, they canno

m

ake away the fears of death, nor feci, re (Tage to everlsftmg life: Death vill be Death (till, and danger will be < an-;er, when all'my friends have done their feft. But my Almighty friend is Alliuf-penr: He can prevent myficknefs, or icbuke and cure it,or make it fo good to ic, that I (hall thank him for it: He can ilot out my v , andforgve

11 my fin; and juftifie me when the world fnd my conidencedo condemn me: He an teach me to believe, to repent, to ray, to hope, to iuffer, arid to ever-ome : He can quiet my foul in the mid ft ►f trouble, and give me a well groune'ed verlafting peace, and a joy which no man an tak? from me. He can deliver me rom all the corruptions and diftempers ►f my froward heart •, and eaie me and rcurc me in the troublcfcm *war which > daily managed in my bread. He can lake it as cafie a thing t > dye, as to lye own and take my reil when I am weary, >r to uncrefs me at night and goto bed. rle can teach Death to layby its rerrible 1 andtoipeakwith a mild and comic voicc,& to bring me the joyfuileft :ydings that ever came unto my ears*, and :o preach to me the laft and Iwcctcft Sermon,

mon, even the fame that our Saviour preached on the Crofs \_Ln'<e 2^. 43. Verily I fay unto thee. To day $1)alt thou be with Chriftin Pa *difc.~]

And is th s the difference between the Love of man and of God} And yet do I lament the lof.* of man ! And yet am I fc backward to lonverfe wivh God, and to be facisfied in his Love alone! Ah my God, how juftly mayeil thou withhold that Love whfch I thus undervalue:, and refufc that converfe which I have fir ft refuted ? and turn me over to man, to Glly man, to finful man, whole converfe I lb muchrdefire, till 1 have learnt by dear experience the difference between man and God, and between an Earthly and an Heavenly frien< ! ! Alas, have 1 not tvy-cd it oft enough, to have known it k- t-ter before this ay ! Have I not ofte-nough found \vh t man is in a time of tryal! Have I not been told it over and over, and told it to the quick, by deceitful friends, by felf-feeking friend*, by mutable, erroneous, deceived, fcanda-ious, ba'kflding friends, by proud and felfconceitcd friends) by paffionate> q'jarrelfom> vexatious friends, b< felf-grieved, troubled friends, that have but

brought

broughtme all their calamities and griefs to be additions to my own-, by tempting friends, that have drawn me to fin more effectually than enemies ; by tender, faithful, but unable friends, that have but fetcht fire from my calamities and forrows to kindle their own, not equally fliaring, bat each one taking all my trouble entirely to himfelf: that have been wiling* but injnjficient to relieve me; and therefore the greater was their Love, the greater was rheir own, a .id confequent-ly mine affliction , that would have been with me, but could nor, thar would fan ha\e cafed my pain, and (lengthened mv languifhing body, but could not; would fain have removed all my. troubles, and comforted my caft down mind, bit could not. O how often have I found that humane friendfhip is a fweet j£$pccl > our woe; a beloved

calamity, and an auction which nature tyil] not be without, not becaufe it Lovetlj evily nor becaufe it is wholly deceived in its choice ( for there is Good in friendjljip^ Iclhht in holy Love) but becaufe the Goid which is here accompanied with fo much evilj is the beginn ng of a more high and durable frcndiiiip, and pointetfi G us

us up to the blefled delightful fociety and convcrfe which in the heavenly Jem-fakm we fliall have with Chrift.

But O how much better have I found the friendfhip of the AU-tuflkient God/ His Love hath not only pstited me, but relieved me : He hath not only been as it were ajfliUed with me in my affii&ions, but he hath delivered me leafonably, and powerfully, and fweetly hath he delivered me: And when he had once told me that my affli&ions were his own, 1 had no rea-fon to doubt of a deliverance. Mv burdened mind hath been eafed by his Love, whiih was but more burdened by the fruitlcfs Love of all my friends. Oft have I come to man for help, and cafe, and comfort, and gone away as from an empty Ctftern, that had no water to cool my third \ bur God ha r h been a prefent help : Could I but get near him % I was lure of Light, how great loever ivas my former darknefs: Could 1 but 'igetnear him y I wasfure of warming quick-ning Life, how dead foever I had been before: But all my mifery was that I could not get near him! My darkened e-j ftranged guilty foul, could not get quiet* 'ingandfatisfying acquaintance: My lum.

pifll

with God in fotitude. 12} pifh heart lay dead on eanh, and would notftir, or quickly fall down again, if by any Celeftial force it began to be crawn up, and move a little towards him: My carnal mind was entangled in diverting vanities: And thus I have been kept frr-m communion with my God. Kept! not by force or humane tyranny ; n t by bars or bolts, or diftancc of a phce, or by the lownefs of my condition*, nor by any mifreprefentations or reproach of man-, but, alas, bymyfdf, bythedark-nefs and deadnets, andfluggifhnefs and earthlinef9, and flefhlineU, an d paffions of a naughty heart. Thcle have been my bars, and bolts, andjaylois; Thefc ar: they that have k> pt me from my God : Had it not been for theie I might have got nearer to him • I might have walkt with him, and dwelt with him-, yea dwelt in him, and he in me : and then Ifhouldnot have mift any friends, nor felt mine enemies: And is it my finful diftance from my God that hath been my lofs, my wil-dernefs, my woe ! And is it a nearer admittance to the prefence of his Love that rouftbe my recovery and my joy, if ever I attain to joy! O then my foul, lay hold on Chrift the Reconciler, and in him and Q2 by

by him draw ner.to God: And ceafe from man whofc breath is in his noftrils: Love God in his Saint?, and delightfully convcrfe with Chrift in them, while thou haft opportunity. But Remember thou Livcft not upon them, or on their Love, but upon God, and therefore defire their Company but for His : And if thou have His^ be content if thou have not theirs.

He wants not man that enjoyeth God. Gather up all the Love, and Thoughts, and Defircs which have been fcattered and loft upon the Creatures, and fet them all on God himfelf, and prefs into his prefence, and converfe with him, and thou (halt find the miftake of thy prefent difcontents, and fweet experience (hall tell thee thou haft made a happy change.

5* If God be with me y I am not alone\ bee a fife he is with me with whom my great-eft bnfmefs lyeth: And what company I fhould I defiie, but theirs with whom I have my daily neceffary work to do ? I have more to do with God, than with all the World : Yea more and greater bufi-nefs with him in one day, than with all the World in all my life. I have bufinefs with man about houfc,or lands, or food,

or

with God in folitude. 125 or raiment, or labour, or journying, or Recreations, about fociety arid publick peace : But what are thefe to my buQ-ncli with God ! Indeed with holy men I have holy Bufinef*; but that is but as they are Meflengrs from God, and come to me on his bufinefs, and fo they muft be deadly welcome: But even then my s is much more wirh God then with them • with him that lent them, then with the Meflenger. Indeed my bufinefs with God is fo great, that If I had not a Mediator to encourage and afiift mc, to do mv wirk *nd procure me acceptance, the thoughts of it would overwhelm my Sou*.

O therefore rov Soul, let man (land by; It is the Eternal God that I have to do with : And with whom am I to tr an fa ft in this little time the bufinefs of my cndlefs li c I have to deal wirh Go 1 through Ch: ft, for the pudon of my fins, of

great and grievous fins ; and wo to me if 1 fpced not, that ever I was born 1 I have feme hopes of pardon, but inter-

t wkh many perplexing fears; 1 have evidences much blotted, and r.ct cafily

eiftood ;I want aflurance that he i^ indeed my Father, and reconciled to mc, G 3 and

and will receive me to himfclf when the World forlaketh me: I have many hq-guifhmg gnces to he ftrengthened; and alas, what radicated, obftinate, vexatious corruptions to he cured ! Can I look into my hem, into iuch an unbelieving, dead, and earthly heart, into fuch a proud and peevish and difordered heart, into fuch a trembling, rerplexrd, felf*ac^ufing heart, and yet -not u: derftandhow gieat my hufinefs is with Col ! Can I perufc my fins, or fed ny wants, and (ink under my wtakncfT^ and vet not » if ern how g eat mv bjfnefs is with God! Can I 1 >o< b^ck upon all the time that I h2ve loft, and all the gr.ee that 1 un-thin fully refitted*, and all -he mercies that { trod under foot, or foo'd away, and c^n I lonk before me and fee how ne.^r my time is to an end, an ! yet not un-derfta.id hiw great my bufwef, is with God •, Can I think of the malice and diligence of Satan, the number, power and fcbtiltv of mine Enemies the many flares and dangers that are ftill before me, the ftreng h and number of temptations, and m r giorance, un • archfu'nefsand weik* n f to refill, and ycc not know that my grcateft bufinels is with God: Can I feel

my

mv afflictions and lament them, and think my burden greater than I can bear, and fin char man cannot relieve me^ can I go mourning in the heavinefsof my fouf, and water my Bed with Tears, and fill the air with mv groans and lamentations, or feci my foul overwhelmed within me, fo that my words are intercepted, and I am re ier to bre*k than fpeak, and yet not pe:c:ive :hat my greateftbufinefs fs with Go : ? Can I think of dying ? Can I draw near to judgment? Can I think of ever-la^i g joys in H *aven ? and of everlaft-ing pan in Hell, and vet not feel that my greateft bufinefb is with God ? O then, my foul, the cafe is eafily refolved, with whom it u that thoa muft moft deftroufly and ferioufly converfe. Where (bouldfl th )u be but where thy bufinefs is, and fo great bufinefs f Alas, what have I to do with man! what can it do but make my head ake, to hear a deal of fcnfelefs chat, about preferments, lands and dignities, about the words and thoughts of Men, and a thoufand toys that are utterly i p:rtinent to my great imploy-ments, and fignifie nothing but that the dreaming world is not awake! What pleufure is it to fee the buflesof a Bedlam G 4 World?

world? what a ftir they make to prove or wake themfelves unhappy ? How low and of how little weight, are the learned difco'jrfes about fyllables and words, and! names and notions, and mood and fig-ire* yea, or about the higheft Planets, when ail are not referred unto God ? Were it not that fome convcrfc with men, doth further my converfe with God; and that God did tranfatt much of his bufineftby his mcflengers and fervants, it were no matter whether ever I more faw the faee of man : were it not that my Matter hath placed me in ibciety, and appointed me and much of my wer\.fer others, and with pthr rs, and much of his merty is conveyed by other?, man mi^ht ftand by, and folitude were better then the beft fociety, and God alone floul) ta l O

nothing h fo much my mitcrv ?nd (I ame, as that I an» no more willing, nor better skilleo in the management of my rreat important bufintfs.' That mv workii withGod, and my heart h no more wirh him / O what mi^ht I do in holy meditation or Prayer one hour; iflwereas ready for pray r and as goo ! at prayer as one that hath fo long opportunity and fo great nccefl&ty toconverie with God,

ftiould

with God in fo/itude. Tiy

fhould be / A prayerlefs heart, a hear c that flycth away fromjGod, is raoft excu-fable in fach a one as I, that hath fo much important bufinefs with bim : It ig work that muft be done y and if well done , will never be repented of: I life not to' rcjuru from the prefence of God (when indeed I have draw 7 n near him) as I do from the company ot empty men, repenting that I have loft my time, and trembled that my mind is ditcompoied orde-preyed by the vanity and earthly favour of their difcourle: I oft repent that I have prayed to him fo -coldly,'and conver-i:h him la r.tvlgemly, and ferved him lb remifly' y bud never repent of the time, the cares,th^ afflictions, or the dili-gtnee imployed in his holy work. Many a time I h we repented that ever I fpent fomuch time with man, and wiflit I had never fc n the faces of ionic that are eminent in the world, whofe favour and converter others are ambitious of: But it is my grcif ard fhame that fo fmall a part of all my life, hath been fyent wuhG< d; ( and th«it fervent prayer ?nd heaven y con-; templarions, have been f fe'dom an l.io-fhort. Othctlha li Gx!,.

though 1 had been lebvvitluii^ d^reft.of G 5 my

my friends! How much more blamelefs, regular and pure 1 How much more fruitful, and anfwerable to my obligations and profeffions/ How much more comfortable to my review / How many falls, and liurts, and wounds, and greifs, and groans might I have efcaped .' O how much more jpleafing is it now to my Remembrance, to think of the hours in which I have lain at the feet of God, though it were in tears and groans, than to think of the time which I have fpent in any common con-verfe with the greateft, or the learnedeft, jorthedeareft of my acquaintance !

And as my Greateft bhfmefs is with God, fo my daily bufwefs is alfo with fcim: He purpofely leaveth me under wants, and fuffers necefTitics daily to return, and enemies to aflault me, and affliftion to furprize me, that I may be daily driven to him: He loveth to hear from me: He would have me be no ft ranger with him : I havebufinefs with him every hour: I need not want employment for all the faculties of my Soul, if I know what it is to converfe in Heaven, Even Prayer, and every holy thought of God, hath an Object fo «frcat and excellent, as fhould wholly

take

take me up. Nothing muft be thought orfpoken lightly abut the Lord, His Name muft not be taken in vain: Nothing that is common bcfeemeth his Worshipers. He will be fanctificd of all that (hall draw near him : He muft be loved with all the Heart and Might. His Servants need not be wearied for want of employment, nor through the lightnefs or unprofitablenefs of their employment ; If I had Cities to build, or Kingdoms to govern, I might better complain for want of Employment for the Faculties of my Soul, than I can when I am to converfc in Heaven. In other Studies the delight abateth, when I have reached my defire, and know all that I can know : But in God there is infinitely more to be known, when I know the raoft. I am never Jatiated with the eafmefs of knowing, nor are my de-fires abated by any knufefnlnefs or mrvor* thinefs in the Objctt •, but I am drawn to ic by it's higheit Excellencies, and drawn on to defire more and more by the infinirenefs of the Light which I fiavc not yet beheld, and the infinite-nets of the Good which yet 1 have not enjoyed. If I be idle, or fecro to

want

want employment, when I am to contemplate all the Attributes, Relation^ Mercies, Works, and revealed perfections of the Lord, it's fure for want of Eyes to fee, or a Heart enclined to my bufinefs: If God be not enough to c: ploy my Soul, then all the Perfons and Things on Earth are not enough.

And when I have Infinite Goodnefs to delight in, where my Soul may freely let out it felf,and never need to fear excefs <1£ Love •, how fwect fhould this employment be ? As Knowledge, fo love is never ftintcd here, by the narrownefs of the Gbjeft :. can never love him in any proportion cither to his Goodnefs and amiablencfs in himfelf, or to his Love to us. What need have I then of any other company or bufinefs,when I have infinite Goodnefs to delight in, and to Love (further than they fubferve this greateft Work ?) !

Come home then, O my Soul, to God : Converie in Heaven : Turn away thine eyes from beholding Vanity : Let not thy affections kindle upon ftraw ex bry-ars, that go out when they have made a flafti or noife, and leave thee to thy cold and darknefs: But come and dwell upon cekftial beauties, and make it thy daily

and

andmoft diligent WorK, ro kin;!e thy affe&ions on the infinite eve:'. ; Good m r and then thev vrill arver be «U tinguifhed or decay for want of Fcu.eU but the further they go, and the longer they burn, t the greater will be the Flame. Though thou find ir hard while Love is bat a Spark to va e it burn, and complain that thv i backward hcaitr is hardly warmed with the love of God, yet vvhcii the whole pile hath taken fire, and i!he fUme ateendeth, fire will breed Lovciwill came Love ^ and.alithe malice of Hcii it lelf {hall never be able tofupprefs or quench it unto all Eternity. 6. And it is a great Encouragement to mv converi'e with God 7 thatnomif-underftanJing, no malice cf Enemies, no former fin ^or prder.c fradtv, no, nor the infinite diftancc of the moil: holv glorious Gad? tart hinder my accefs to him, or turn av. ay his Ear or Love, or interrupt my leave and liberty .of converfe. If I convirtc with the pro*', their wants afflttt ne, being greatei than I can Tup* ply : Their c s and expectations h I cannot latUfie, are my trouble.

C$, it knot caficto get atiefa : and lei/cafie ! to

to have their favour, uniefs I would] purchafe it at too dear a rate: Howl ftrangely and contemptuo; fly do they] look^t their inferiours! Great Friends) muft be made for a word or Smile : And I if you be not quickly gone, they arc aweary of you: And if you feek any thing of them, or would put them to any coft or trouble, you are as wclcom to them as fo many Vermin or noifom Creatures. They pleafe them beft that drive you away. With how much labour and difficulty muft you clime, if you will fee the top of one of thefe Mountains? And when you are there, you are but in a place of barrennefs , and have nothing tofatisfie you for your pains, but a larger profpeft and vertiginous defpeft of the lower grounds which are not your own: Ic is feldom that thefe Great Ones are to t>efpokcn with : And perhaps their Speech is but a dcnyal of your Rcqucfts,if notfomefnappifh and contemptuous Rejection, that makes you glad when you are got far enough from them, and makes you the better like and love the acceffible calm & fruitful Plains. Bqti O how much greater encouragements hath my boul to converfe with

God!

with God in folitude. 135 God! Company never hindereth him from harkning to my Suit: He is Infinite and Omnipotent, and as fufficient for every individual Soul, as if he had no other to look after in the World: When he is taken up with the attendance and praifes of his heavenly Hoft, he is as free and ready to attend and anfwer the groans and prayers of a contrite Soul, as if he had no nobler Creatures, nor no higher Service to regard. I am oft unready, but God is never unready: I am unready to pra.V, but he is not unready to hear: I am unready to come to God, to walk with him, and to fohce my Soul with him •, but he is never unready to entertain me. M^ny a time my Confcience would have driven me away, when he hath calied me to him, and rebuked my accufing fearful Confcience. Many a time I have called nrry felf a Prodigal, a companion of Swine, a miterable hard-hearted Sinner, unwor* thy to be called his Son, when he hath called me Child, and chid me for my queftioning his Love. He hath readily forgiven the Sins which I thought would havcm:de my Soul fuel of Hell: He hath entertained me with Joy, wtth

Mufick

Miifitk and a Fc I better de-

ferred :o hav peen j o g the Dogs" Without his Doofs. He ha.h cm • a.ed me in his iuflamrg conlolatwiy Aims, when he might have ipurned my gudty , Soul to Hell, and laid, Depart from me, I thou wo ker of Iniquity, I know thee not. O little did I.think, that he could ever have forg nten the Vanity and Vil-iany of my Youth ; yea, fo eafily have , forgotten my moll aggravated fins.When-I had finned sgainft Light; when I had refilled Conscience •, when I had frequently and wilfully injured Love, I thoughk he would: never have .forgotten it: i ; ur the g.eatnefs o; hi, Love and Mercy, and the blood and innrcef-. (ion of his Sai, hath cancelled all. O how many Mercies hive.I tafted fince 1-thought:I hadi finned away ad Mercies! How patiently hath he born with. me, fince I thought he w'ould never^ have put up more? And yet befidesmy fins anJ the withdrawings of n y own heart, there hath been nothing to interrupt our converfe. Though he be, Go U and I a worm, yet that would not ! ave kept me out: Though he be in Heaven, yet he is near to fuccour

mc

with God in foliiude. 13 7 me on Earth, in ail that iUat! upon him for: Though he have the p*aif= of progefs, he difdaineth ret my Teafs and Groans: Though he have the peiieft Love of perfc he knowcih t\\£

little Spatk inrr.y Bread-, and defoifeth not my weak and languid Love: The I iniure and difhonour him b\ loving him no m^re; 1 ait forget fcimj

bid have teen out of the way when he hath ccme or cafied me; thoi flifobedicntly turned away n \ and unkindly refufed the entertainmc. ts ;, and unfaiihfuUv plaid with i! whole corrpany he nie t

divorced rue, ror toi ;s. O wonderful! that e familiar with iEa h Man ! the HigHeft with fcWo the moft Hdy with an

Man rcfuferh G< d will cntertair mf : f I ; that ft-If. 1 hofe that I-rever wronged or defcrved iH off, rejetf me wit': Reproach: And God i have u oth

nvite me, a d intrcat conde&

as if ht w ere bcl o' e:i ved: Men th.t I have defer-

deleaved well of, do abhor me: And God that I have delerveu Hell of, c orii accept nv: c The heft of rhem ire Briars, and as a thorny Hedge, and he is Love, an.i Rel, and Joy: And yet I can be more welcom to him, tho gh Ih^e offended h : m, ihan I can to them whom I have ohltgei : I have fteer leave tocaft my f If into rav Fathers Arms, than to tumhl? in thole Briars, or wallow in the D rr I upbraid my felf with my fins, but he doth not upbraid me wit!: them- I condemn my felf foe them, but he condemns me iot: He forgiveth roe fo ncr thai I can forgive my felf: I have prace with him, before I can have peace o? Confcience.

O 'her fore mv S uf, d^aw near to. hi n thar is fo willing of thy company ! T^at fro v:>eth thee not awav,unlets it be when tho i h iil fallen into the cirt, that thou iitayft wall thee from thy fil-thinefs, an] the fitce for his conv rfe. Draw near to him that will not wrong thee, by belicvmg mifreports of Enemies, or laving to thy charge the things thou kne eft not: but will forgive the Wrongs thou haft C'one to him, and jufti-fie thee from the fin, that Confdence

layeth

layeth to thy charge. Come to him that by his Word and Spirit, his Ministers and Mercies calleth thee to come 9 and hath promiied, that thole that come to him, he will m no wife fhut out. O walk w 7 ith him that will bear thee up, and lead thee as by the right hand (P/i/. 73. 23. ) and carry his Infarts when they cannot go ! O fpeak to him that re ch-eth thee to fpeak, and underftondcth and accepts thy Stammering- a chelp-cth thine Infirmities when thou knoweft not what to pray for as thou oughteft , and giveth thee Groats when thou haft not w.rdSy and knoxpeh the meaning of his ! pi: it in thy Groans ; that cannot be contained ir. the Heazen of Heavens^ an.' yet bath rclpett to the contriteSoul y thar trembleth at his word> an J fe eth his d'.fpleaiVre : T a^ pityeth the I ears, anc dcipiieth not t e 'ghing of a broken heatt, nor the ('cms o the forrow'ul. Ov\«lk with h m that is never weary of the conve fe of ,n upright S< ul! THat is never angry with thee, but for flying from him, or for draw ng back or being too Orange, and refusing theki d-nefe and feMcity of his prefencc. The day is coming when the pro.deft of

the

the Sons of Men would be g T ad of j 1 good look from him, that thou hafl leave to walk wirh: Even they that! would not look on thee, and thev that] injured and abuled thee, and they that' inieriours could have no accefs to \ O jiowg!,d would they be then of a Smilel or a word of hope and mercy from th Father! !> 11 then to him, on

whom th Creation dothd'pendv

^vhofe favour at laft the proudeft and! the worft would porchafe with the loui-eft cries, when all their pomp and p( € a-fu e is gone, and c*n purchafe nothing. O walk with him that is L >vc it felf, Bill! think hire not H'millmg or unlovely* and let not the Deceiver by hideous fions drive thee from him r wh.n thou haft felt a while the ftorms* :iunks thou, fhouldft fay, How g<^od, how fafe, how fweet is it to draw near to God!

7. With whom fhoidd I fo defroufly con-<verfe y as with him whom I mnft live with for eve* ? If I take p'e^fure in my Houfe, or Land,or Country,my walks, mv boo!« or friends themfelves as c!oath v d wrtjji fldh, I mu> poffefs this pleafure -but a little while i Henceforth know we no

man

with Gcd in folitude. 14.T man after the flefh: Had we known pirift himielf after the flefh, we muft know him fo no more for ever. ( Though his Glorified fpiritual Body we fhall know.) Do you converie with Father pr Mo:her ? with Wives or Children ? with Pafters and Teacher? ? Though rou may convjerfe with thefe as Glorified Saints, when you come to Chrift, yet in thefe Relations that they ftand in to rou row, you fhall converie with them jut c. little while.* For the time isfijort: It remaineth that both they that have wives H as though they had none \ and they that weep as though they wept net \and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not', and they that bay as though they fojjtjjed not 5 mid they that ufe the World^ as not abn-fing it (or as though they fifed it not:) for the fafinon of this World doth pafs a-way.2 1 Cor. 7. 29, ;o> 31.

Why then fhould J fo much regard, a converie of fo fhort continuance? Why fhould i be fo familiar in my Inn, and fo in love with tha: familiarity, as to grieve when I muft but think of leaving it, or talk of g c, and look for-

ward to the p'acewhc l I mud ever ? (hall 1 be fond of the company of

a pafTenger that I travel with (yea per-haps one char doth nut meet me in the way, and goah to a contrary place) and (hall I not take morcpleafurc to remain ber home? I wiH not be to uncivil as to deny thole 1 meet a fhbrt falure, or to be friendly wirh my fellow-Travellers^ But remember,0 my Soul, that thou doft v not dwelt but travel here, and that it is rc thy Fathers Ho-ife where thou mull a-. bide forever: Yea and lie isneaierthee than Man (though invifiblcj even in thy way. O ice him then that is invifib'e: HearKen to him when hefpea'eth: O-bey his voice: Obfcrve hii way: Speaki to him boldy, though humbly and reverently* a^ his Child, about the g eat concernments of thy State: Tell hiniic what it is that aile-hthec: And feeing i ail thy fmart is the fruit of thy own finJ tl confefs thy folly and onkindnefs, crave f his forgivenefs, and remember him what his Son hath fuffered, and for whatd Treat with him about thy future courfei Defue his Grace, and give up thy felfta his Con'.'uft and his Cure: Weep ovc; in his Ears the H ftory of thy mifd^ing! and unthankf il courfe : Tell it him witf penitential tears and groans; But tell

him

with God in folittide. 143 him aHo the advant ge tM h c hath for the honouring o\ his grace, if ir may now abound where fin aboundeth: Tell hicn thac thou art raoft offended \*ith rhy felf, for that which he is mod offended Wuh; That thou *rt angry with thy .if-obedient unthankful hearr: That thou prt even aweary o f that lvart that lo-^eth him no more • At' that it (hall never pleafe thee, till it Jove him better and be more defirous to pleafe him : Tell him of thy E: emits, and crave the protcftion of his Love: Tell him of ray frailties, infirmities and paffijfii, and crave not cn!y his tender forbearance, but his help: Tell him that without him thou carift do nothing; and owe the Grxethat is RiflScientfor thee, that through him that ft engtheneth thee thou mayeft do all things/. When th u failed, defpair nor, but crave h ; s helping hind to raife thee. Speak tohimefc. peciafly of the everldftin? things, and thank him for his Promifes, ard for thy Hopes: For what thoufh alt ^c y an have, and do among his Holy ones for ever. ! x-prefs thy jo s in the prom fe of thofe joys*, that thou mijft fee hisGIofy, and love lira, and praifchim better than

thou

ihcucanft now defirc. Beg nthofc prai-! fes, and a* thou walkcft with him, take 1 plcafure inthe mention of h jions 5

be thankful to him and fpeak good of his Name;< Sol ice thy fclf inremembring] what a God, what a defence an^ portion a.'l belLvr-have: And in conuicring whither he is now conducing thee, and what he will do with thee, and what ufe he will make of thee forever: Speaj$ with Rejoycing of the glory of his works, and the righteoulhefs of his judg.r.en s, and tho holineis and evenaeis of his ways .• Sing forth his praiies vvith a joyful] heart, and pleafanp, and triumphing, voice-, and. frown .away all flavifh fears^ all importune malicious fugg;ftions oij. doubts, all peevithhuftful nipping griefs,, that would mar or interrupt the melody \ j and would untune or unftring a raifedf] Well compofed Soul. Thy Father loveth thy very moans and Tears; But how much more doth he love thy Thanks and Praife ? Or if indeed it be a Winrefi time, a ftormy day with thee, and hd leern to chide or hide his face becaufe thou haft offended him, let the cloud that is gathered by thy Folly come down in tears, and tell him, Thou haft

finned

finned againft Heaven and before him, and art no more worthy to be called his Son ; but yet fly not from him, but beg his pardon and the priviledges of a Servant: And thou wilt find embrace-ments, when thou feareft condemnation: and find that he is merciful and ready to fa-give : Only return, and keepclo-fer to him for the time to come. If the breach through thy neglcft be gone fo far, as that thou feemeft to have loft thy God, and to be caft off, and left forfa-fcen •, defpair not yet} for he doth but hide his face till thou repent: He doth not forftke'thee, but only tell thee what it is to walk fo carelefly as if thou wouldft forfake him; Thou art fafterand furer in his Love and rov^nant then thou canft believe or rppr hend. Thy Lord twas as dear as ever to his Father, when he ciycd oir, My God, why bijl thou Krfdkgn tne. But yet neglect him not, and be not - fsol'hs withdrawings and

of th\ Lift up thy voice and cry

jnu [Ptthffil in defpight of unbelief, :ry out \My Father, my Saviour^ y God^\ and thou (bait hear him Anfwcr thee at laft [_My Child ;■] Cry out [O rrhydoft thou bide thy face} H and

71

14^ Of Lonverfmg

and why haft thou forfaken me ! 0 what fhall I do here vpitboHt thee ! 0 leave me net) lofe me not in this howling wiidernefs ! Let me not be a prey to any ravening beafi ! to my Jin> to Satan, to my foes and thine !]] Lift up thy voice and weep, and tell him, they are the tears and lamentation of his Child : O beg of him, that thy wanderings and childifh folly, may not be taken as a&s of enmity, or at lead that they may be pardoned *, and though he correal thee, that he will return and not forfakc thee, butftill take thee and ufe thee as his child. Or if thou haft not words to pour out before him, at leaft finite upon thy breaft, and though thou be afhamed or afraid to look up toward Heaven, look down and fay,[0 Lord Joe merciful to me a fnner^\ and he will take it for an acceptable fuit, that tendeth to thy pardon and juftification, and will number fuchafen-tance with the prayers which he cannot deny. Or if thou cry, and canft not hear of him, and haft long called put upon thy fathers Name, and heareft not his voice and haft no return •, enquire after him of thofe thou mceteft: Ask for him of them. I that know htm and arc acquainted With his way! Make thy moan unto the watch- j

men

men \ and ask them, where thou mayft find thy Lord. And at laft he will appear to thee, and find thee firft, that thou roayft find him, and (hew thee where it was that thou didft lofe him, bylofing thy fclf and turning from him! feekhim and ihou fhalc find him: wait and he will appear in kindnefs: For he never failcth or forfakcth thofe that wait upon him.

This kind of Convcrfc, O my louf, thou haft to profecute with thy God. Thou haft alfo the concernments of all his fervants; his AJfiitted ones , his broken hearted ones> his difeafed ones, his perfected ones, to tell him of: Tell him alfo of thexoncernments of his Kingdom, the fury of. his Enemies, the difhonour they caft upon his Name, the matters of his Gofpel, caufe and intereft in the world: But dill let his Righteous Judgment be reracmbred, and all be terminated in the glorious everkfting Kingdom.

Js it not much better thus to converfe with him that I muft be with for ever, a-bout the place, and the company, and work, and concernments of my perpetual abode, then to be taken up with ftran* r|ers in my way, and detained by their mpertinencics ? H2 I

I have forra'd my felffolongin thcfc meditations, that 1 will but name the reft, and tell you what I had further to have treated on, arid leave the enlargement to your own meditations.

8, I have no rcafon to be weary of converfe with God, feeing it is that for which all human converfe is regardable. Converfe with man is only fo far defirable as it tendeth to our Converfe with God: And therefore the end muft be preferred before the means.

9. It is the Office of Chrift, and the work^ of the Holy Ghoft, and the life of all the means of Grace , and of alt creatures, mercies and afflictions, to red uce our ftray-ing fouls to God, that we may converfe with him and enjoy him.

I o. Converfe with God is mofi fnit able to thofe that are fo near to death; Itbeft preparcth for it: It is likeft to the work that we are next to do. \fifc had rather when death comes, be found converfing withtWthcn with Man: It is God that a dying man hath principally to do with : It is his 'judgment that he is going to j and his mercy that he hath to truft upon: And therefore it concerneth us to draw ! near him now, and be no Grangers to him,

left

left ftrangcncfs then fhould be our ter* rour.

11. How wonderful a condefcenfion is it that God Jlionld be willing toconverfe with me ! with fuch a worm and finftji wretch: And therefore how unexcufa-ble is my crime, if I refute his company, and fo great a mercy !

12. Lift!/, Heaven it felf is but our Converfe with God and his Glorified ones, (though in a more perfeft manner then we can here conceive.) And therefore our holy converfe with him here is the ftate that is likeft Heaven, and that pre, areth for it, and all the Heaven that is on earth.

IT renruineth now that I briefly tell ( you, what you fliould do to attain' and manage this Converfe with God, in , the improvement of your folitu Je. (Foe' Directions in general for Walking with Godj I refcrve for another place.) At pre-fent let thefe few fuffice.

Direft. 1. If you would comfortably

Converfe with God, mak$ jure that you

are Reconciled to him in Chrift, and that

h% u indeedy^wr friend and Father. Can

H 3 two

two walk together except they be agreed? Can you take pleafurc in dwelling with the confucning fire ? or converting with the mod dreadful enemy? Yet this I muftadd, that every doubting or felf-ac-chfing foul may not find a pretence to fly from God. i. That God ceafeth not to be a Father when ever a fearful foul is drawn to queftion it or deny it. 2. That in the Univerfa! Love and Grace of God tomiferable Pinners, arfki in the univerfal aft of conditional pardon and oblivion, and in the offers of Grace, and the readirefs of God to receive the penitent, there i& Glad Tidings that ftiould exceedingly rcjoyce a a finncr 5 and there is fufficicnt encouragement to draw the moft guilty n iferable finner to fcek to God, and fue for mercy. But yet the fweetejl com/erfe is for children, & for thofe that have fome affurance that they ar$ children.

But perhaps you will fay, that this is not eafily attained : How fhall we know that he is our friend ?

In brief, I anfwer, \iyon are unfeigned-ly friends to God, it is becaufe he firft lovedy oh. Prefer him before all other friends, and all the wealth and vanity of |

the

with God in [olitudt. 151 the world j Provoke him not by wilful* nefs or negledt: ufc him as your beft friend, and sbufe him not by difobedi-ence or ingratitude 5 own him before all, at the deareft rates, whenever you arc called to it: Defire his prefence : Lament his abfence : Love him from the bottom of your hearts: Think not hardly of him: Sufpett him not; Mifunderftand him not : Hearken not to his enemies.: Receive not any falfc reports againft him: Take him to be really better for you than all the world : Do thefe, and doubt not but you are friends withGod f & God with you; In a word, Be but heartily willing t* befriends to God y and that Cod flionld be yonr chcifeftfrievd) and you may be furc that it is jo indeed, and that you are and have what you defire. And then how delightfully may you converfe with God!

Dircft. 2. Wholly dependon the Medu at ion of Chrift, the great Reconciler : Without him there is no coming near to God: But in his Beloved you fhall be accepted. Whatever fear of his dif plcafure (hall furprize you, fly prefentfy for fafc-ty unto Chnft : whatever guilt fhall look you in the face, commit your felf and H 4 caufc

J 52 Of Converging

caufc to Chrift, and dcfirc him to anfvvcr for you : When the doors of mercy feem tobcfliutupagainftyou, fly to him that bears the kcyes, andean at any time open to you, and let you in.? Defire him to answer for you to God, to your conldences, and againft all accufers: By him alone you may boldly andcomfortably converfe with God; But God will not know you out of him.

Direft. 3. Take heed of bringing far. ticuhr Guilt into the pre'fence of God y if yen would havefaeet communion with him: CLrift himielf never reconciled God to fin : And the fmner m&fin are fo nearly (related, that for all the death of Chrift, you fti^li feeithn iniquity dweQtfh not with God ; but he hateth the worKS o r ir, and the fooli^li (hall not (land in his fight; and that if you will prefurre *-o fin becaufc you r:re his Childreh, he fun your fa \>JB §ndyon out. O whsc fe rs, ■ lut, [hamc, whit »cli-abhoriC.tce a r -d -ftlf-rcvrnge will guile raiic in a penitent foul, when it comes into the light of the pre»t:ice of | the Lord * it will unavoi Jahle abate your boldnefs and your comforts: When you fhou!d be fwcetly dtlighting in his pfea-fed face, and promiled Glory, you will

be

be befooling your felves for your former fin, and ready even to tear your flefh, to think that ever you (hould do as you have done, and ufe him as you would not have ufed a common friend, and caft your felves upon his wrath. But an innocent fouf, or pacified confeience, doth walk with God in quietnefs and delight, without thofe frowns and fears which are a tafte of Hell toothers.

Direft. 4. If you would comfortably converfe with God, be Jure that yon bring not Idols in your hearts : Take heed of inordinate affettion to an) Creature. Let all things clfe be nothing to you, that you may have none to take up your thoughts but God. Let your Minis be further feperate from them than your Bodies : Bring not into folitude or to contemplation, a proud, or luftful, or covetous mind : It much more concerneth thee, what Heart thou bringeft, that what Place thou art in, or what rw^thou art upon, A mind that is drowned in ambition, fenfmlity or paffion, will fcarcc find God any fooner in any wildcrnefs than in a croud( unlefs he be there returning from thofe fins to God J where-ever he feeth him, God will not own and be H 5 familU

familiar with fo foul a foul. Seneca could fay[£*idprodeft lotions regionis filentium^ fi affeiius fremunt ?] What good dozh the fdencc of all the Country do thee 9 tf tho H have the noife of raging affections within ?] And Gregory faith [Quicorpore rtmotiis wivit, &c. He that in body is far enough from the tumult of human converfation, is not infolitude y if he bufie himfelf with earth-ty cogitations and defires : and he is not in the City that is net troubled with the tumult tf worldly cares orfear J, though bebepreffed with the popular crouds.*} Bring not thy houfe, or land, or credit, or carnal friend along with thee in thy heart, if thou de-fire and expect to walk in Heaven, and to converfe with God.

Direa. 5. Live ftill by Faith •, Let Faith lay Heaven and Earth as it were to-gether : Look not at God as if he were far off: fet himaways as before you, even as at your right hand; Pfal. 16.8. Be ftill with him when you awake, Pfal. 1 39. 18. In the morning thank him for your t eft *, and deliver up your felt t o his jcon-dudl and fervice for that day.Go forth as with him, and to do his work : Do every naion, with the Command of God, and the promifc of Heaven before your eyes, _

and

snd upon your hearts: Live as thofc tha c have incomparably more to co with G<4 and Heaven, than all this world} That you may fay with David, Pfal. 37.25,26. (as aforecited) Whom have 1 in Heaven but thee I and there is none on Earth that I dejire befides thee Q And with Panl, Phil. 1. 21. [To me to Live is Chriflj and to Bye is gain.'] You muft /hut up the eye of fenfe (lave as fubordinate to Faith) and live by Faith upon a God, a Chrift, and a World that is unfecn, if you would know by experience what it is to be above the brutifh life of lenfualifts, and to Converfe with God. O Chriftian, if thou hadft rightly learned this blcfled life, what a high and noble foul-converfation wouldft thou have ! How eafily wouldft thou fpare, and how little wouldft thoa mifs the favour of the greateft, thepre-fence of any worldly comfort! City or Solitude would be much alike to thee, laving that the place and ftate would be bed to thee, where thou-haft the greateft help and freedom to converfe with God, Thou wouldft fay of human lociety as SenecalJUnns propopulomthiefti & p puks fro uno: Mihifatis eft muscat is eft nullus7\ [One is inftead of all the people to me 7 and

the

the people as on-e > One is enough for we, and none is enonghr\ Thus being taken up with God, thou mighteft live in prifon as at liberty, and in a wildernefs as in a City, and in a place of baniftiment as in thy native Land: For the Earth is the Lords, and the fulnefs thereof: and everywhere thou ruayeft find him, and converfe with fiim,, and lift up pure hands unto him: In every place thou art within the fight of home •, and Heaven is in thine eye, and thou art converting with that God, in whofe converfe the higheft An-ge's do place their higheft felicity and delight.

How little caufe then have all the Churches enemies to triumph, that can never (hut up a true believer from the pre-fence of his God? nor banifli hirfiinto iiich a place where he cannot have his con. verfation in Heaven? The ftones that were caft at holy 'Stephen* could not hinder him from feeing the Heavens opened, and Chrift fitting at the right hand of God. A Patmos allowed holy John Communion with Chrift, being there in the Spirit on the Lords day, Rev. 1.9, io« Chrift never fo fpcedily and comfortably owocth his femnts, as when the world

difown

with God in fclitude. 157 difownetb them, and abufeth them for his fake, and hurls them up and down as the fcorn and off-fcouring of all. He quickly found the blind man that he bad cured, when once the Jews had taft him out, Joh. 9. 3^. Peifecutors do but promote the blefiednefs and exceeding joy of fuffercrs for Chrift, Mat. 5. n. 12.

And how little Reafon then have Chriftians to fhun fuch fufferings by unlawful means, which turn to their fo great advantage ? and to give fo dear as the hazard of their fouls by wilful fin, to efcape the honour, and fafcty, and commodity of Martyrdom?

And indeed we judge not, we Love not, we Live not as fan&ified ones muft do, \(wc judge not that the trueft Liberty, and Love it not as the Beft Condition, in which we may Be ft converfc with God. And O how much harder is it to walk with God, in a Court, in the midft of fenfual delights, than in a prifon or wildernefs, where we have none to interrupt us, and nothing elfe to take us up ? It is our pre-poflefled minds, our car h'y hearts,* our carnal affeftions and copcupifencc/and the pleafures of a profperous ftate, that

arc

are theprifon and thcjaylors of our foute. Were ic not for thefe, how free (hould wc be, though our bodies were confined to the ftraighteft room! He is at Liberty that an walk in Heaven, and have accefs to God, and make ufe of all the Creatures in the world, to the promoting of this his Heavenly con-verfation. And he is the prifoner whofe foul is chained to flefh and earth, and confined to his lands and houfes, and feedeth on the duft of worldly riches, or walloweth in the dung and filth of gluttony, drunkennefs and luft : that arc far from God, and defire not to be near himj but fay to him, Depart from us, we would not have the know-ledge of thy ways : that Love their prifons and chains fo well, that they would not be fct free, but hate thofc with the cruelleft hatred that endeavour their deliverance. Thofe are the poor prilbners of Satan, that have not liberty to believe, nor to Love iod, nor converfe in Heaven, nor feri-ufly to mind or feek the things that are high and honourable: that have not liberty to meditate or pray, or . ferieufly to ipeak of holy things, nor

to

to love and convcrfc with thofe that-c'o fo: that are tycd fo hard to the drudgery of fin, that they have not liberty one month, or week, or day, to leave it, and walk with God fo much as for recreation! But he that liveth in the family of God, and is employed in attending him, and doth converie with Chrift, and the Hoft of Holy ones a-bove, in reafon fhould not much complain of his want of friends, or company or accommodations, nor yet be too impatient of any corporal confinement. Laftly, be fure then mod narrowly to watch your hearts, that nothing have entertainment there, which is againft your Liberty cf converfe with God. Fill not thofe Hearts with worldly trafh, which are made and new-made to be the dwelling place of God. De-fire not the company which would di-^minifh your heavenly acquaintance and correfpondency. Be not unfriendly, nor conceited of a felf-fufficiency, but yet beware left under the honcft ingenuous title of a friend, a fpecial, faithful, prudent, faithful friend, you fhould cnterta-in an Idol, or an enemy to your Love of God, or a cor rival and competitor

1

pctitor with your higheft friend: For if you do, it is not the fpecious title of a friend that will favc you from the thorns and bryars of difquietment, and from greater troubles than ever you found from open enemies.

O bleffed be that High and everlaft-ing friend, who is every way fuitcd to the upright fouls! To their Minds, their Memories, their Delight, their Love, &c. By fureft Truth, by fulleft Goodncfs, by cleared Light, by dear-eft Love, by firmeft Conftancy, &c. — O why hath my drowfie and dark-fighted foul been fo feldom with him! why hath it fo often, fo ftrangely, and fo unthankfully pafled by; and not olv fcrvedhim, nor hearkened to his kind-eft calls! O what is all this trafh and trouble that hath filled my memory, and employed my mind, and cheated and corrupted my aflfe&ions, while my dcareft Lord hath been days and nights fo unworthily forgotten, fo contempcu-oufly negle&ed,. and difregarded, and loved as if I loved him not / O that thefe drovpfie and thofe waking nights, thofe loitered, loft, and empty hours, had been fpent in the humbleft converfe

with

with God in folk tide. 161 with him, which have b<ren dreamed and

doted away upon now I know not

what! O my God, how much wifer and happier had I been, had I rather chofen to mourn with thee, than to rejoyce and fport with aiv other / O that I had rather wept with thee, ttan laughed with the creature! For the time to come, let that be my friend, that mod befriendeth my dark, ard dull, and backwaid foul, in its undertaken progrefs, and heavenly converfation I Or if there be none iuch upon e^rth, let me here take one for my friend! O blot cut every Name from my corrupted heart, which hindereth the deeper engraving of thy Name! Ah L rd, what a Hcnr, what a blind ungrateful thing, U a He^rt not touched with ccleffial Ldve! yet flu" \ not run to thee > whv-n have non< e!fs th.t will know roe.' (hall I -t draw ce P

when all fly from me! W . iy

cipt .:. cut fo I uc [NONE

P11T GHRIST: COO OR NOTHING.] Ahfo Lfl JI< i t, that haft thought of it [ A her. is :' t \ lace, that Cave or Defcrt, uhc.e I ruighc fconeft find ihec, and fulled enjoy thee?

Is it in the wildcrnefs that thou walkeft, or in the c/oud: in the Clofet, or in the Church ; where is it that I might fooneft meet wirh Gxl?] But alas, I now percci-e, that I navfc a Heart to fin i, before I am like to find my Lord\ OLovclefs> Lifelcft, ftronyheart! that's dead to him tha give it Life! ar.d to none but him! CouiJ I rot Love 9 oc r all, mahinks I were lefs dead than now ? L.fs Jeai, if dead, tha n .1 vc? 1 hat! a f a;oft laid

i, let me never Love more till I can Love thee ? Nor think more on any thi^g till I can more willingly thirk of thcc?l But I muft fupprefs that wi h; for Life will aft: And the merries n id motions of Nature are necejfary to thofc of Grace. And therefore in the life of Nature, and in the glimmerings of thy Light, I will wait for moreoftheCelcftial life ! My God, thou haft my confent/ It is hcic artift-cd un ier my hand : Separate me from wh*t and whom thou wilt, fo I may bat be newer thee ! Let me Love thee more, and feel more of thy Love, and then let me Love or be beloved of the world, as little as thou wilt.

1

with God in folitude. 163 I thought [elf-love had been a more predominant thing: But now I find that Repentance hath its anger, its Hatred and its Revenge / I am truly Angry with that Heart that hath fo oft and foolifhly offended thee! Methinks I hate that Heart that is fo cold and backward in thy love, and afmoft grudge it a dwelling in my breaft! Alas when Love fn ou!d be the'life of Pnyer, the life of holy Meditation, the life of Sermons ?nd of holy Conference, and my ; : n thefe fhould 1 ng to meet thee, ght to mcn«|

• tion thee, I ftragg'c ! ord, I know not whether! or 1 fit frill and wifli, but do not rifc^nd run .;nd follow thee, ye>, I do not what I fer:m to do. All's dead, all's dead, for Wane of Love .' I often cry, O where is th;t place, where the quickening beams of Heaven arc warmed, that my fout 1 i^ht fcefi it Out JJ But whether ever 1 go, to City or toSJdde, alas, I find it is not PUce that makes the difference. I know that Chrift is perfeftly rcplcnifti-cd with Life and Light, and Love Divine: And I hear him as our Head and Treafurc proclaimed and offered

to

to us in the Gofpel! This is thy Record, that he that hath the Son hath Life / O why then is my barren foul fo empty / I thought I had long ago confented to thy offer \ and then according to thy Covenant, both He and Life in him are mine/ And yet mud I ftill be dark and dead!

Ah deareft Lord, I fay not that I have too long waited ! but if I conti* me thus to wait, wilt thou never find the time of Love ? and come and own thy gafping worm? wilt thou never diflipate thefe clouds, and fliine upon this dead and darkened foul? Hath my Night no Day? Thrufl; floe not from thee,, O my God / Foi tl ttfsa Hell, to be thruft from God. But iure the caufc is all at home, could I find it out, or rather could I cure it/ It is furc my face that's turned from God, when I fay, His fece is turned from me. But if my Life mud here be out of fight, and hidden in the Root (with Ghrift in God,) and if all the reft be referved for that better w T orld, and I muft here have but thefe frail beginnings/) make me more to Love, and long for the bleflcd day of thine appearing,

and

and not to fear the time of ray deliverance, y nor unbelievingly to linger in this So-dom, as one that had rather ftay with fin, then come to thee! Though fin hath made me backward to the fight, let it not make me backward to receive the Crown 5 Though it hath made me [a loiterer In thy work, let it not make me backward to receive that wages, which thv Love will give to our pardoned, poor, a:ceptcd fervices. Though I huve too oft dnwn back, when I (houki have cone unro thee, and walked with thee in thy ways of G^ace, yet heal that unbelief, ar.d d'v which would iihkc me to draw back, when thou catfeft me to poflefs thy Glory? Though thefickneis and lame* nefs of my foul hkvt hindere< me in my journy, yet let their paipfi f nefs help me to defire to be delivered from them, and to be 1 e (Airj^

out the interpofing lighti 0; thy 'n-pleafure^ I mall fuily feel thy full (i Love, and walk with thy C! ones in the Light of thy Glor^ triumphing in thy Praiie for even Amen.

BUT

Job Uf x^onverjwg

Bli T now I have given you thefc few Directions for the improved wtnt cf your folitude for converge with Cod y left I fhould occafion the hurt of thofe that arc unfit for the LefTon I have given, I muft conclude with this Caution (which 1 have formerly alfo publifhed,) That it is not malcnchotfy or weak-headed pcribns, who arc not able to bear fuch exerciie c , for whom . I have written thefe Directions. Thole that are not able to be much in fe-rious folitary thoughtfulnefs, without confufions and diftra&ing fuggeftions, and hurrying vexatious thoughts, muft fet themfelvcs for the raoft part to thofe duties which are to be done in company by the help of others; and muft be very little in fo'itary duties: For to them whofe natural faculties are fo diieafed or weak, it is no duty^ as being no means to do them the defired jjlod ; but while they ftrive to do that which they are naturally unable to endure, they will but confound and dif-traft themfelves, and make themfelves unable for rhofc other duties which yet they arc not utterly unfit for. To fuch perfons therefore inftead of ordered

with God in folitude. l6y cd, well-digefted Meditations, and much time fpent in fecret thoughtful-nefs, it muft fufficc that they be brief in fecret Prayer, and rake up with fuch occafional abrupter Meditations as they are capable of, and that they be the more in reading, hearing, conference, and praying and praifing God with o-thers: untill their melancholly diftem-.pers arc fo far overcome, as that (by the dire&ion of their Spiritual Guides) they may judge thcrofelves fit for this improvement of their Solitude.

F INI s.

Books Printed for John Sains-bury in CornhilL

TH E Gofpel Feaft opened, or the Great Supper of the Parable difcovered, in ieveral Sermons. By Jo/epb Hujfey, Pallor in Cambridge.

An Inquiry after Religion, or a Veiw of all Religions and Seels in the World. By a Member of the Royal Society.

A Word to poor, ignorant, and carelefs people, that mind not the Salvation of their precious fouls; containing Directions for a Holy Life ; with a Catechifin and Prayers for Families, and Graces before and after Meat.

Books

Books Vtinted, for John Salusbuiy in CornhilL

TH E certainty ofTheWorldsofSpi- 1 rits, fully evinced by unqueftion* | able Hiftories of Apparitions and Witch-crafts, Operations, Voices, &c* Proving I the Immortality of Souls> the Malice 1 and Miferies of the Devils and the Dam- I ned, and the Bleflednefs of the Juftifi- I ed. By Richard Baxter.

An End of Dottrinal Controverfies which $| have lately troubled the Churches, by ^ reconciling explication without much 1 Dilputing. By Richard Baxter.

The Proteftant Religion truly ftated I and juftified, by the late Reverend Di-> vine Mr. Richard Baxter : Whereunto is added by way of an EpiiUe, forne Account ol ?;irned Author, ne-

ver be' (bed. By Mr. Alatth.

Sylveficr and Mr. Daniel Williams.

The Harmony of the Divine Attributes,!^ the contrivance and accoirplifh- ( ment of Mans Redemption by the Lord Jefiis Chrift. By Willi** ButesA D- D.

The Changablenefs of this WorKM with refpc Jation , Families anfl

particular Performs i with a pra

Applica- i

Application thereof tfr fw^vanous con-ditions of this Mo r t I Eife. By Timo-¥ thy Rogers y M. A.

The Chriftian Lover, or a difcourfc

opening the Nature of Participation

; with, and Demonftrating the neceffi-

v r of Purification by Chrifh By T.

Orufe.

The Duty andblefling of a Tender l/Conicience, plainly dated and earneftly ifecornmended to all that regard acceptance with God, and the profperity of ■their Souls. By the fame Author-

Hvc Sermons on various Occafions. I By the fame Author.

The Mirrour of Divine Love unvail'd, in a Paraphrafe on the High and mifte-rious Song of Solomon. By Robert Iteming. V. D, M.

The Mourners Memorial, in two

Sermons on the death of the truly

Pious Mr*. Sufannah Some. With fome

Account of her Life and death. By T.

Wright^ and Robert Fkming. V. D. M.

A newExamination if the Accidence and jB , r/iw;^r,inF.ng!ifh andLatin,wherein all BicRulcs Q^Proferi qu<t Maribus^ Que 6>* lpv/4; in pnfwtLSwtaXyand PrtfodiM^rc .firadc plain and eafic, that the meaneft Canity may fpcedily learn the Latin